NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University women's basketball team kicked off the 2026-27 season with a 76-54 victory over Dominican University (NY) on Monday afternoon at the Hynes Athletics Center. The Maroon & Gold were paced by career-high performances from junior tandem
Adrianna Gonzalez and
Chloe Vasquez in the win over the Chargers.
Gonzalez registered a game-high 23 points on 10 made field goals to go along with three steals. Vasquez tallied a career-high 18 points, along with six rebounds and three steals. Junior
Anyla Herbert also finished in double figures with 11 points in her Iona debut.
Sophomore
Johanna Flores tallied a team-high eight rebounds, while senior
Mya Zaccagnini dished out a team-high seven assists.
THE RUNDOWN
The Chargers got off to a fast start, scoring the first two baskets of the game. Gonzalez got Iona on the scoreboard with a layup at the 7:40 mark. After another quick Dominican basket, Gonzalez knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner to make it a one-point game. That basket sparked a 16-5 closing run for the Gaels, who took an 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. Five different scorers contributed baskets for the Maroon & Gold.
Iona kept the momentum going to open the second quarter as Herbert connected on a layup, followed by a 3-pointer from rookie
Giselle Grant and a layup from Flores that forced Dominican to take an early timeout. The teams traded baskets from there as Iona held a slight 15-12 scoring advantage over the Chargers. Vasquez and rookie
Wilma Tuomi led the charge down the stretch with seven and five points, respectively, as the Gaels took a 40-24 halftime lead.
The Gaels continued to hold firm in the third quarter, outscoring the Chargers 22-16 in the period. Gonzalez and Vasquez led the way with seven points apiece. Iona maintained its advantage in the fourth quarter, paced by 11 points from Gonzalez to cruise to the 76-54 win.
IONA PERFORMERS
- Gonzalez finished the game 10-of-15 from the field, including a 3-for-5 mark from 3-point range, for a career-high 23 points to go along with three steals and two assists. Her previous career high was 12 points at Rider last season.
- Vasquez totaled 18 points on seven made field goals to go along with six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
- Herbert registered 11 points on five made field goals to go along with four rebounds and a blocked shot.
- Flores tallied a career-high nine points and eight rebounds, along with a career-high four assists, in her first collegiate start.
- Zaccagnini dished out a career-high seven assists for the Gaels.
- Grant, Tuomi and rookie Sophia Hickey all recorded their first collegiate points in the win.
THE OPPONENT
- Ketura Rutty led the Chargers with 22 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
- Tamia Nunes added eight points, five rebounds and three blocked shots for Dominican.
TEAM STATS
- The Chargers shot 43.5% from the field, while the Gaels shot 39.7% for the game.
- Iona connected on seven 3-pointers at a 21.9% clip and held Dominican without a 3-pointer.
- The Gaels held a slight 39-37 advantage in rebounds.
- Iona's defense forced 27 turnovers, leading to 28 points, while committing just nine turnovers as a team.
- The Gaels assisted on 23 of the team's 31 made field goals.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Iona picked up a season-opening win at home for the second consecutive season.
- The Gaels improved to 9-0 all time against Dominican.
- It was Iona's first game with 20 or more assists since Jan. 3, 2026, against Siena.
UP NEXT
The Gaels return to action at the Hynes Athletics Center on Thursday, Nov. 5, when they host Stony Brook for a 1 p.m. contest.
