NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University women's basketball team opened December with a 58-46 victory over Stetson at the Hynes Center. The Gaels had seven different scorers contribute on Thursday evening for the team's second win of the season.
 
Senior Judith Gomez led the Maroon & Gold with 16 points including four made three-pointers. Sophomore Zoey Ward also finished in double figures with 12 points to go with five rebounds. Senior Erin Leary had an all-around effort finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists along with four steals and a pair of blocks on defensive end.

THE RUNDOWN

Ward got the Gaels of to a 6-0 start in the opening two and a half minutes before the Hatters got on the board. Both teams traded baskets from there with Stetson cutting the lead to two with 4:40 to go in the opening stanza. Iona extended its lead back to four on a layup from Leary. Scoring slowed shortly after as the Hatters tallied the final basket of the quarter with 2:37 on a triple to cut the Iona lead to one, 12-11.
 
The visitors raced out to a 7-3 start in the second quarter to take an 18-15 lead with 8:20 remaining in the period. The Hatters continued to hold the slight advantage over the next few minutes before a floater in the lane from Fajardo kicked off a 10-1 closing stretch for the Maroon & Gold. Iona closed the half on a step back jumper by senior Talia DePetrillo, a triple from Gomez and a driving layup from senior Ella Fajardo to take a 27-21 lead into the intermission.
 
Stetson punched back out of halftime with two straight baskets to cut the deficit down to two forcing Iona to call its first timeout. The Gaels answered out of the timeout with a knockdown three from Leary and driving layup from Ward to jump ahead, 32-25 with 6:37 to go. The Hatters responded with a 6-1 run to get back within two points. Iona got hot from downtown to close out the quarter as Gomez connected on back-to-back threes followed by a triple from DePetrillo. Freshman Destinee Salgado went coast to coast on a steal and layup to give the Gaels a 44-33 lead at quarters end.
 
The Hatters looked to chip away at the deficit with a 5-1 run in the first minute and a half of the final stanza. The Gaels first field goal of the fourth was a give-and-go alley-oop from junior Ale Civera to Gomez to kick off a 6-0 run. Iona capped the run and the largest lead of the game on a driving layup from Fajardo to take a 51-38 lead with 5:30 left to play. The Gaels continued to keep Stetson at bay down the stretch to secure the 58-46 victory.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Gomez posted nine of her game-high 16 points in the second half. She drained a game-high four mad three-pointers.
• Ward finished the night with 12 points on five made field goals to go with five rebounds. She added two assists along with a block and a steal.
• Leary registered nine points and a team-high eight rebounds and three assists. She tallied a game-high four steals and two blocks.
• DePetrillo recorded eight points on the night and Fajardo added six points.

THE OPPONENT

• Cameron Thomas led Stetson with 16 points to go with a game-high nine rebounds.
• Tiasia McMillan also finished in double figures picked up 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
• Mary McMillan dished out a game-high four assists.

TEAM STATS

• Iona shot 39% for the game while Stetson shot 34.7% from the field.
• The Gaels tied the season-high with eight made triples on a 32% clip from downtown. The Hatters were held to just four made three-pointers on 26.7% shooting.
• Both teams tied for rebounds on the night with 35 a piece.
• Iona registered a season-high 15 steals while forcing Stetson to a season-high 25 turnovers. The Hatters picked up 11 steals on 18 turnovers from the Gaels. 

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Iona earned its first win over an Atlantic Sun foe in the fifth meeting all-time against the current conference membership.
• Gomez tied her career-high and season-high in scoring and mad three-point field goals. It was her third double-digit scoring effort on the year.
• Ward tallied double figures for the second time this season.
• Leary tied her season-high in scoring and posted new season-highs in rebounds and steals.

UP NEXT

Iona heads up north on Tuesday, December 10 for a 6 p.m. contest at UMass Lowell.