Lions Pull Away; Top Berkeley In Opener

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Penn State Brandywine started slow, but outscored Berkeley College 51-26 during the final 20 minutes to capture a 76-51 victory during the Lions' women's basketball season opener on Saturday afternoon.

Brandywine, which won its season opener for the fourth time in five years, scored just five points during the first quarter and trailed by six after 10 minutes.

Olivia Encarnacion's (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) jumper with 7:05 to play in the second quarter capped a 9-0 spurt, giving Brandywine a two-point edge. The teams exchanged the lead four times over the next six minutes before a bucket by Symantha Marrero (Philadelphia, Pa./Central) sent the game into intermission tied, 25-25.

The Lions scored the first six points of the second half and would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way. Encarnacion, Lauren Munro (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) and Cashae Hinton (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) combined to score Brandywine's first 14 points during the third quarter as the lead ballooned to nine. Alyssa Abbonizio's (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) three-pointer at the 4:10 mark pushed the advantage to double figures for the first time.

Encarnacion gave Brandywine a 15-point cushion after three quarters with a pair of free throws and the Lions would lead by as many as 27 points during the final stanza following a 10-0 run, before settling for the 25-point victory.

Encarnacion and Munro tied for the team lead with 14 points each, pacing 13 players in the scoring column for Brandywine, while Hinton tallied nine points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Hinton and Encarnacion both posted five steals and Munro swiped four, aiding a Brandywine defense that forced 37 turnovers and limited Berkeley to 23 percent shooting.

The Lions' reserves outscored the Knights' bench 35-0 as Abbonizio tallied seven points and freshmen Brandi James (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) and Nicolette Napoleon (Springfield, Pa./Penn Charter) combined for 14 points during their collegiate debuts.

James and Napoleon both pulled down six boards, while Abbonizio topped the Lions by grabbing nine rebounds.

Brandywine shot 47 percent from the field and held a 57-45 edge on the boards.

The Lions visit Rosemont on Wednesday for a 6:00 pm game.