NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College women's basketball team open the 2008-09 campaign at 1-0 after defeating Hofstra, 61-57, at the Hynes Athletics Center.  Junior Thazina Cook (21 pts, 14 reb.) and freshman Kristina Ford (13 pts, 10 reb.) both recorded double-doubles for the Gaels in the win.

After Cook scored the first basket of the night on a three point shot less than one minute into the game, the two teams matched up well, tying the score three times in the opening stretch including a 9-9 bind at the 14:51 mark.  The Pride then opened up a significant lead jump-started by a Joelle Connelly layup, and pulled to a 23-10 advantage with 11:38 on the clock.  The Gaels worked their way back to within as few as three points and were down by six at the end of the first half.

The Maroon & Gold chipped away and outscored the visitors 13-7 over the initial five minutes of the second period to tie the score at 40-all with 14:58 to go.  Both squads traded layups as the advantage bounced back-and-forth, with neither team able to pull ahead by more than three points over the next 13 minutes.

Following two made free throws by Hofstra's Candice Bellocchio which knotted the score at 55, Ford gave Iona the final lead on a drop-in with 1:31 remaining in the game.  She added two more from the line to make it a four-point advantage and the Gaels went on to secure their first victory of the young season.

Iona led 47-39 in rebounding and took advantage of Hofstra's 19 turnovers, scoring 22 points on the return.  connelly had 17 points and ten rebounds for the Pride.

Iona's next contest will be at West Virginia, tipping off at 1:00 pm on Nov. 16.