Mitchell Earns First Win Of Season With Win Over St Joseph

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -Sophomore guard Alix O'Neil (New London, Conn.) tallied a game-high 19 points as Mitchell College defeated the Saint Joseph Blue Jays, 86-49, in non-conference action tonight in the O'Connell Center in West Hartford.

The decisive victory gives the Mariners (1-4) their first win of the young season while the Blue Jays fall to 2-5 on the year.  The Mariners avenged a loss to the Blue Jays on November 22 in the SJC Tip-Off Tournament.  Saint Joseph College freshman Samantha Royce (Portland, Conn.) scored a team-high 15 points and added a team-best ten rebounds to earn her second career double-double.

The Blue Jays fell behind early, 16-7, after Mitchell freshman center Destiney Harris (Bristol, Conn.) hit a 12-foot jumper, but Royce rallied the Blue Jays with a lay-up followed by a three to cut the lead to four, 16-12.  Following a jumper from senior Gina Morales (East Hartford, Conn.), Royce was again good from short-range as her lay-up tied the score at 16-16 with 10:43 to play in the opening half.  The Mariners, however, would close out the half on a 27-10 run with the help of balanced scoring to take a 43-26 lead into the intermission.

Mitchell came out firing in the second half as O'Neil opened the half with an old-fashion three point play.  SJC freshman center Sarah Phillips (Portland, Conn.) countered with a lay-up off an offensive rebound to make it an 18 point game, 46-28 with 17:16 to play, but the Blue Jays would come no closer as the rout was on for Mitchell.  The visitors would earn their largest lead of the night, 39, with just under a minute to play as they cruised to an 86-49 victory.

Junior guard Jen Iglesias (Waterbury, Conn.) chipped in 18 points and Harris totaled 17 points and 15 rebounds including nine offensive boards; Bianca Young (Bridgeport, Conn.) also added 12 boards for the winners.  In the loss, Royce finished with 15 points and ten boards while sophomore guard Nathalie Mastarreno (Glastonbury, Conn.) registered 11 points and three assists. 

The Blue Jays will next host Connecticut College on Saturday (Dec. 6) at 1:00 p.m. while the Mariners travel to City College of New York on Monday (Dec. 8) at 5:00 p.m.