EASTON, Pa. – The Lafayette College women's basketball team started its 2019-20 season with a bang, taking down the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, 61-29.

Sophomore Namoi Ganpo had a solid start to the season, leading the way with a career-high 12 points and a career-high field goals made with nine. Junior Natalie Kuwoski recorded a double-double in the Leopards season debut with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore Nicole Johnson was the third Leopard of the night to put up double-digits with 10 points as well.

Lafayette (1-0) got off to a quick start going up 5-0 early in the first period from junior Drew Freeland's three-pointer and a Kucowski made jump shot. The Knights (0-1) would eventually get their first points on the board at the 8 minute mark before the Leopards would hold them to only those two points until three minutes left in the first quarter.

The Leopards defense would only allow the Knights to put one more basket in, sending them into the second quarter with the 18-4 lead.

The Maroon and White continue to pour on the points in the second quarter, outscoring the Knights 19-7, putting them up 37-11 at the half.

The third quarter saw Fairleigh Dickinson attempting a comeback, putting up seven to attempt to cut the score in half. But the Leopards would tack on 12 more to make it 49-18 heading into the final quarter.

Ganpo would make layup in the pain and the Leopards would push their lead to 30, their second largest lead of the game midway through the fourth quarter. Senior Sydney Sabino would drain a three-pointer to put Lafayette up 54-25 and from there, the Leopards would go on a seven-point run to close out the game.

Only allowing the Knights to score 11 points in the first half is the lowest they have held an opponent through the first half since at least 2017. The lowest they held an opponent in the first half last season was when they held Navy to 19 on January 23^rd 2018. Their 37 points in the first half was just one point shy of their record from last season when they scored 38 in the first half against Holy Cross in Easton.

Freshman Jess Booth and Reilly Campbell both made their collegiate debuts tonight. Booth was apart of the starting five, notching six points. Campbell saw time on the court as well, totaling two rebounds in her Maroon and White debut. 
 
Up next for the Leopards is a trip to Vestal, New York, to take on Binghamton on Friday at 7 p.m.