ORLANDO, Fla. — The Iona University women's basketball team dropped its season opener to Big 12 foe, UCF by a final score of 76-44 at Addition Financial Arena on Tuesday night.

THE RUNDOWN

Both teams looked to gain footing in the first contest of the season, only trading a pair of points through the first several minutes of action. UCF gained a three-point edge on the first made triple with 6:14 to go in the quarter. Iona then embarked on a 9-1 run over the next four and a half minutes. Rookie Destinee Salgado recorded her first collegiate bucket to start the run and sophomore Emma Donnelly drained a three-pointer. A free throw by senior Talia DePetrillo followed with a knockdown three from sophomore Mya Zaccagnini gave Iona a 11-6 advantage with 1:46 left in the quarter. A 5-0 closing stretch from the Knights gave the home team a 12-11 lead at the quarter break.  
 
The Knights jumped out to a 10-7 start in the first five minutes of the second quarter. Senior Ella Fajardo contributed four points and Zaccagnini added two for the Maroon & Gold in the opening minutes of the quarter. The Knights closed out the final 4:41 of the frame with a 16-0 closing stretch to take a 38-18 lead into the intermission.
 
UCF continued to keep pace over Iona in the second half, walking away with a 76-44 win. The Knights now hold the all-time series lead over the Gaels at 3-2.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Zaccagnini was the lone scorer in double figures for the Gaels, finishing with a team-high 13 points.
• Junior Ally Carman led the team with four rebounds.
• First-year guard Chloe Vasquez dished out a team-high three assists.
• Senior forward Erin Leary blocked a team-high three shots.

THE OPPONENT

• Kaitlin Peterson was one of three double digit scorers for UCF, registering a game-high 22 points in 24 minutes.
• Hannah Gusters recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
• Emely Rodriguez tallied 13 points off the bench for the Knights.
• Achol Akot grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

TEAM STATS

• The Knights shot 43.3% as a team while the Gaels went 31.5% from the floor.
• Both teams struggled from distance as Iona connected on five triples at a 17.9% clip and UCF made two three-pointers with a 20% clip from distance.
• The Knights controlled the glass with a 53-29 advantage on rebounds.
• UCF forced 28 turnovers leading to 33 points while Iona forced 17 turnovers.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Zaccagnini posted double figures for the second time in her career with the team-high 13 points.
• DePetrillo, Salgado and sophomore Zoey Ward all made their first career starts for the Maroon & Gold.
• Salgado and Vasquez both recorded their first collegiate points on Tuesday night.
• Leary finished with five points in her first game as a member of the Maroon & Gold.

UP NEXT

The Gaels return to New Rochelle for the home opener at the Hynes Center on Tuesday, November 12 against Navy. Iona will host Kids Day with an 11 a.m. tip-off in the opening game of a hoops doubleheader with the men's team taking on Delaware that evening.