Gulls Pick Up Victory in Home Opener

BEVERLY, Mass. – In their first game of the 2011 season at MacDonald Gymnasium, the Endicott women's basketball team picked up their first win of the year with a 62-51 victory over the Eagles of Daniel Webster College. Endicott improves to 1-2 on the year, while the Eagles (2-1) suffered their first defeat.

Endicott sophomore center Julie Manning (Hull, Mass.) led all scorers with 18 points, shooting 8-12 from the field while pulling down nine boards. She was the only player in double figures for Endicott, but the Gulls got strong contributions up and down their line-up.

Sophomore Jennifer White (Lisbon, N.H.) led the team on the boards, taking down 12 caroms and adding two blocks and five points in over 25 minutes of action. Jordan Ferland (Charlestown, N.H) and Kayleen Whall (Foxboro, Mass.) pitched in eight points apiece and 13 rebounds and seven steals between the two of them.

Senior Nicole Heffernan (Londonderry, N.H.) paced the Gulls with five assists and added seven points in the victory.

The Eagles jumped out to their biggest lead of the night early in the game when a three-pointer from Sarah Paternostro (Glastonbury, Conn.) gave them a seven point lead. Paternostro went for fifteen points to lead the visitors and also chipped in four rebounds.

With eleven minutes left in the first half, a layup by Manning gave the Gulls a lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the game, as Endicott would go on to open up a 31-21 advantage at the break.

Alycia Gervais was the other member of Daniel Webster in double-digits, scoring 13 points and also co-leading the team with seven rebounds. Gervais contributed three steals and two blocks as well in the effort and hit one of Daniel Webster's three pointers.

Seniors Kristen Murphy (Woodstock, Vt.) and Kacie Lang (Raymond, N.H.) each pulled down seven boards apiece as well for the Eagles. Daniel Webster guard Antonina Feola (Simsbury, Conn.) led her team with four thefts.

The Gulls shot 80 percent from behind the three-point line, making four of their five attempts. Daniel Webster made just 2-18 from behind the three point arc and shot only 23.9% for the game. The Gulls also outrebounded the Eagles by a 49-37 margin. Endicott did turn the ball over 29 times, to just 17 by Daniel Webster.

Endicott will take off the Thanksgiving holiday before returning to action on November 30^th. The Gulls will start their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) season with a road test at Salve Regina (6:00 pm). Daniel Webster will wait until December 3^rd before playing a 1:00 pm game at Brandeis.