Jan. 2, 2002
Stats
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette women's basketball team opened the 2002 season with a 74-62 non-conference loss to Albany on Wednesday at Kirby Sports Center.
Albany (4-7) jumped to a 12-4 lead in the opening five minutes and stretched its lead to 10 on a Jess McGinlay layup at 12:34. McGinlay paced the Great Danes with 11 points in the first half.
Lafayette (2-8) fought back to within two in the closing minutes of the half when Leopard freshman Ashley MacLelland sunk her first two jumpers of the season and went 1-of-2 from the line. Albany's McGinlay put her team ahead 32-28 before Lafayette's Lindsay Myers nailed a jumper to send her team into halftime trailing 32-30.
The second half belonged to the Great Danes as they shot 57 percent from the floor to the Leopards' 36 percent. Albany increased its lead by as many as 15 in the second half paced by 10 second-half points from Danielle Hutcheson. McGinlay finished with a game-high 18 points while Hutcheson and Marie Connors added 12 points each.
Sophomore Colleen Fitzpatrick scored 14 points to lead three players in double figures for the Leopards. Myers had a career night with 13 points, seven assists and five steals. MacLelland also netted a career-high 11 points.
Lafayette returns to action on Jan. 7 when it hosts Ivy League foe Cornell at 7 p.m.
