Nov. 8, 2013

Easton, Pa. - The Leopards opened the 2013-14 campaign with a 67-62 win over visiting Rider inside the newly renovated Kirby Sports Center. Emily Homan led three Lafayette players in double figures with 21 points and seven rebounds. Maddie Peabody and Linnel Macklin scored 14 apiece.

MyNeshia McKenzie paced the Broncs with a game-high 24 points. Danielle Fiacco swatted five shots, while Jamie O'Hare dished out a five assists. Lafayette dominated in the paint outscoring Rider, 36-20.

The Leopards built a 15-point lead early in the second half and were able to hold on as Rider stormed back at the end of the game. Rider cut the Leopard lead to one with under a minute to go, but was unable to convert a layup with 45 seconds to play. Rider got the rebound and called timeout.

Out of the timeout, McKenzie drove the lane and was denied by Fiacco at the rim. Homan knocked down a pair from the line with 17 seconds remaining. A three by Rider came up short, and the Jamie O'Hare stepped to the line and sunk a pair to seal an opening night victory.

An 8-0 run by the Leopards powered by Homan and Danielle Fiacco pushed the Lafayette lead to 14-8 with 12:30 to play in the opening half. Fiacco hit a turnaround jump shot and the Leopards held an 18-13 advantage with 10:55 left in the first half.

Rider went on a 6-0 run to take a 19-18 lead midway through the first half. The Leopards and the Broncs exchanged baskets on the next two possessions and Rider held a 23-22 lead with 6:49 to play in the opening frame.

The teams continued to exchange baskets before O'Hare stole a pass and found Brya Freeland ahead of everyone for the easy two. On the next possession Fiacco knocked down a baby hook to increase the Lafayette lead to 30-27.

Jayla Waller finished the half with a beautiful drive down the lane followed by a Homan block at the other end, and the Leopards went into the half with a 34-28 lead.

Peabody picked up where Lafayette left off, scoring on a drive on the opening possession of the second half. The junior stole a Rider pass and took it all the way for two, to increase the Leopards lead to 15, (45-30) while forcing a Broncs' timeout with just under 17 minutes to play.

Rider cut into the Lafayette lead when Mikal Johnson knocked down a three from the wing, and Kornelija Valiuskyte hit an elbow jumper to slice the lead to 48-40. A jump shot from Kelly Loughney and a lay in from Homan pushed the lead back to 12 at the under 12 media timeout.

Emily Fazzini finished a fast break for the Broncs, and trimmed the Leopard lead to nine with five minutes to play. After a Rider timeout, the teams exchanged baskets with the score 61-52 and 3:24 on the clock.

A McKenzie free throw cut the lead to eight, and a 10-second violation gave the Broncs the ball back. Rider missed a three from the corner, but McKenzie grabbed the board and was fouled. McKenzie knocked down 1-of-2 from the line, followed by a five-second violation. Another basket from Rider narrowed the gap to four at 61-57.

Homan hit a baseline jumper to stop the run, but on Rider's ensuing possession, Fazzini knocked down a triple from the corner, pulling Rider to within three, 63-60 with 1:24 to play. Johnson went to the line for a one and one and hit both to cut the lead to one with 1:20 left in the second half.

The Leopards held on in the final minute with Homan and O'Hare going 4-for-4 in the final thirty seconds to preserve the victory.

Lafayette returns to action on Sunday afternoon, when the Leopards tipoff against Ivy League foe, Brown at 1 p.m.