Anna Maria Turned Away By Catholic In Season Opener, 92-68

WASHINGTON D.C. - Despite a team-high 28 points from Amber Wilson (New York, NY), the Anna Maria College women's basketball team (0-1) dropped their season opener to the Catholic University Cardinals (1-0) Sunday afternoon at Franny Murray Memorial Court. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both sides went back and forth early in the first and the AMCATS went on a 9-1 run in the first eight minutes to give the squad an early 13-11 lead. Sienna Johnson (Brockton, MA) contributed an and-one play at 6:14. Hailey Moore (Worcester, MA) buried a jumper at 4:40 to tie the game at 11 and then Wilson made two free-throws for the AMCATS lead. However, for the remaining 3:29, the Cardinals had a 14-2 run to end the first quarter led by Sydney Pondexter (Clarksville, MD) who had 12 of the 14 points. 
• Anna Maria out-scored Catholic University in the second quarter (20-19) and made a notable comeback with a little over six minutes left in the half (32-19). The 'Cats capitalized on two made free throws from Wilson and a three-pointer from Hailey Vergara (Rialto, CA) to cut the Cardinals lead to 32-24 with five minutes remaining in the half. 
• When the third and fourth quarters became underway, Catholic shot 43.2 percent from the field and 40 percent from three and outscored the squad 46-33 in the half. For Anna Maria, Wilson scored the bulk of her 28 points in the two quarters with 16. Meanwhile, for the Cardinals, Samantha McCarter's (West Chester, PA) 12 points paced Catholic in the second half as she had 20 in the entire contest. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Wilson's 28 led the AMCATS in scoring, Vergara (11), Moore (eight), Gabbi Cuevas (West Valley, UT) (six), and Ashley Rufo (Pittsfield, MA) (four) rounded out the top-five respectively. 
• Wilson out-blocked the entire Catholic team with her five blocks compared to their one. 
• McCarter's 20 and Pondexter's 17 led the Cardinals in scoring on the day.
• Defensively, Anna Maria forced 20 turnovers, including 14 in the first half. 

WHAT'S NEXT

Anna Maria continues their road trip when they travel to Becker on Tuesday, November 12 at 6 PM. Meanwhile, Catholic will partake in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Kenyon on Friday, November 15 at 7:30 PM.

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