Seahawks open season with 26-point win against Wildcats, 77-51

NEWPORT, R.I. (Wednesday, November 8, 2023) -- Salve Regina University women's basketball led wire-to-wire in a season-opening 77-51 victory over visiting Johnson & Wales University in non-league action at the Rodgers Recreation Center on Wednesday night.

The Seahawks (1-0, 0-0 NEWMAC) were paced by four players in double figure scoring including Marissa Forino off the bench with 11 points. Salve Regina made 31-of-41 free throw attempts while the Wildcats (0-1, 0-0 GNAC) made all but four at the charity stripe (13-of-17).

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Salve Regina 71, Johnson & Wales 51
Records: Salve Regina (1-0, 0-0 NEWMAC), Johnson & Wales (0-1, 0-0 GNAC)
All-Time Series: Salve Regina improves to 10-2 all-time against Johnson & Wales in a series that started in Providence in 1996. The two Wildcats wins have come in the last eight years (2015, 2020). The Seahawks won last year's meeting in Providence by 15 (70-55).

SUMMARY:

• 1Q -  Sofia Neary scored the first bucket of the season and added six more points on two more field goals and 2-for-2 from the line. Senior captain Briana Neary went 2-for-2 from the floor for four points and grabbed four defensive boards. The Wildcats had two field goals on 3-pointers from Sarah Wisniewski and Alexa Lora. | Seahawks 17, Wildcats 6
• 2Q -  Salve Regina edged Johnson & Wales by one point (19-18) in the second quarter as the Wildcats scored seven points off Seahawk turnovers. Ashley Rourke and graduate student/captain Morgan Shuey both chipped in six points, the latter was 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Deanna Linscott grabbed three caroms off the defensive glass and had two blocked shots. Mikayla Caruso led the visitors with 11 points in the period. | Seahawks 36, Wildcats 24
• 3Q -  Linscott, Marissa Forino, and Olivia Martin contributed eight points off the bench for half of the Seahawk scoring in the third quarter. Briana Neary scored all five of her points in this frame from the line. Sofia Neary led a Seahawk advantage off the boards with four rebounds. | Seahawks 52, Wildcats 37
• 4Q -  Sofia Neary was perfect from the floor (4-for-4) for eight points and Marissa Forino added six with four at the line. Ashley Rourke, while not scoring, had a team-best +14 while on the floor this quarter. Seahawks ramped up the pressure while scoring 13 points off turnovers. | Seahawks 77, Wildcats 51

NOTEWORTHY:

• Salve Regina wins its third-consecutive season opener -- previous two seasons were against Salem State.
• Sofia Neary led all players with 18 points in just over 18 minutes. She was 8-of-13 from the floor and 2-for-2 at the line.
• Briana Neary (14), Morgan Shuey (13), and Marissa Forino (11) rounded out the double-digit scoring for the Seahawks.
• Mikayla Caruso (16) and Sarah Wisniewski (15) combined for 31 of the Wildcats' 51 points.
• Ashley Rourke led all players with 11 rebounds and tied with Briana Neary and Deanna Linscott each with seven defensive caroms.
• Morgan Shuey dished out five assists and added four steals.

QUOTING COACH HUGHES ON X

.@SalveRegina women's basketball head coach Cori Hughes credits overall defensive effort for season opening win pic.twitter.com/6Eq2CM3WAS

— Salve Regina Sports (@SalveAthletics) November 9, 2023

ON THE HORIZON:
Salve Regina visits Salem, Massachusetts, for a noon tip-off with the Vikings of Salem State on Saturday.