Box Score

Senior Jessica McEntee continued to display her All-American form, finishing with a team-high 14 points and a career-high 22 rebounds, as the New York University women's basketball team downed non-conference rival Mount St. Mary College, 61-45, in their season opener Saturday night in Newburgh, NY.

More than just winning their first game, the Violets gave interim head coach Stefano Trompeo his first career head coaching victory.  Trompeo's milestone triumph came at the same site where NYU coaching legend Janice Quinn captured her 400th career win on Dec. 6, 2005.

"For me, to start a brand new season in a hostile environment against a NCAA Tournament team like Mount St. Mary -- and play as hard as we did as a group -- it was an awesome showing by them," Trompeo said.  "I couldn't be more proud."

Although McEntee, the Women's DIII News Preseason Player of the Year, was the only Violet in double digits, all 11 players who saw action found their way into the scoring column.  Junior Grace Carmen finished with nine tallies, while sophomore Emily Foshag contributed eight points, six boards and three rebounds.  Junior Jen Hum-Traverso contributed eight points, three assists and three steals.

"We got contributions from everybody," Trompeo said.

Foshag scored five of her points during a 10-1, first-half ending outburst as the Violets took a 26-18 lead into the break.  Then Hum-Traverso and sophomore Bianca Storts each scored four points during an 11-2 spurt to start the second half that gave NYU a 37-20 lead with 15:07 remaining.

Meredith Paggi led Mount St. Mary, the 2007-08 Skyline Conference champion which advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championships, with 17 points.  However, the Blue Knights shot just 28.6% (16-for-56) and were outrebounded 47-40.

NYU hit 35.9% (23-for-64) of its attempts.

The Violets return to action Tuesday, Nov. 18, when they travel across the Hudson River to face New Jersey City University.  Game time is 6 p.m.