NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Led by sophomore guard Damika Martinez's 27 points and 28 more from the bench, the Iona College women's basketball team rolled to an 84-58 win over Saint Peter's Thursday evening at the Yanitelli Center.

Martinez knocked down 10 field goals in the contest, including two from the behind the arc while shooting 5-for-5 from the charity stripe.  Freshman Aaliyah Robinson sparked the reserves with 15 points, while also connecting on all five attempts from the free throw line.  Freshman Joy Adams contributed her tenth double-double of the season for the Maroon & Gold, scoring 14 points, 10 in the second half, while also grabbing 15 rebounds.  Redshirt junior Haley D'Angelo finished with a career high eight assists in the game.

After the Gaels got the scoring going with a three-pointer by Martinez, Saint Peter's scored two quick buckets to take a 4-3 lead with 17:46 remaining in the first half.  A three-pointer by sophomore Aleesha Powell quickly gave Iona a 6-4 cushion, a lead the Gaels would hold for the remainder of the contest.

The Peacocks kept the margin close, as a layup by Kaydine Bent cut Iona's lead to five, 13-8, with 13:15 left in the first.  The Gaels responded with an 14-6 run, capped by a three-pointer by freshman forward Cassidee Ranger with 8:44 remaining that gave the Maroon & Gold a 27-14 lead.

A layup by Saint Peter's Jesika Holmes trimmed Iona's lead to eight, 35-27, with 2:43 in the half before the Gaels ended the half outscoring the opposition, 7-2, and took a 42-29 lead into halftime.

In the first 20 minutes of play, the Gaels shot 55.2% from the field, connecting on 15 of 29 shot attempts, including six from three-point range.  Saint Peter's grabbed 15 offensive rebounds in the first, but connected on just 12 of its 42 attempts.

In the second half, Iona scored four straight points in the first minute of play, as a jumper by Martinez and a layup by junior center Sabina Jeridore gave the Gaels a 46-29 lead.  A 14-6 run followed, topped off by a layup by Martinez with 13:29 remaining in the game.

Powell's third trifecta of the game, with 11:04 remaining gave Iona its biggest lead of the game, 67-39, with 11:04 remaining.  The Peacocks were able to cut into the Iona lead late, 74-53, on a layup by Aziza May before a three by Ranger with 2:42 gave Iona an 84-56 lead and capped the Iona scoring for the evening.

Saint Peter's was led by Bent's 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting . Holmes pulled down a game high 16 rebounds. including 10 on the offensive glass.

Iona, now 8-5 in conference play, sits just one game behind Fairfield for second place, and looks to continue to climb the MAAC standings Saturday, when it hosts Canisius at 2:00 pm at the Hynes Center.