Philadelphia, Pa. – Sophomore guard McKayla Roberts (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) scored 17 points to lead the Le Moyne College women's basketball team to a 61-41 season-opening victory over Goldey-Beacom College on the first day of the USciences Conference Challenge on Friday evening at Bobby Morgan Arena.

Roberts, the NE10 Rookie of the Year last season, tallied 12 of her game-high 17 points in the first half, while finishing the game with five assists. Senior forward Nicole Riddick (Albany, N.Y./Colonie/UMass Lowell) tallied a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, which included nine points and nine rebounds in the first half. Sophomore forward Colleen Corcoran (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) registered a career-high 12 points, six rebounds and three steals off the bench.
 
Amanda McGrogan led the Lightning in the loss with eight points and five rebounds. Tanner Turner-Rush posted seven points, while Brittani Bryson tallied six points and seven rebounds.

After the teams went back and forth over the opening seven and one-half minutes, which resulted in a 12-11 Le Moyne lead, the Dolphins closed out the first quarter with eight of the last 10 points to take a 20-13 advantage. Senior forward Courtney Webster (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) started the run with a conventional three-point play and Roberts ended the quarter's scoring with a lay-up.

The Dolphins were the only team to make a field goal in the second quarter as they outscored the Lightning in the period, 16-4, to take a 36-17 lead into halftime. Corcoran led the Dolphins in the quarter with six points and three rebounds, while Roberts had five points and senior forward Corinne Poitevien (Bardonia, N.Y./Paramus Catholic (N.J.)) posted three points and five rebounds.

Le Moyne scored five of the first seven points of the third quarter to push its lead to 41-19 with 7:32 remaining in the period.

Goldey-Beacom ended its drought of 16:00 without making a field goal at the 6:46 mark as Bryson made a free throw. The Dolphins posted a 29-8 run in Goldey-Beacom's span without a field goal. The Lightning got their deficit down to 16 with 4:09 remaining in the quarter, but Le Moyne's lead bounced between 18 and 20 points the remainder of the quarter and settled at 48-30 after 30 minutes.

The teams went back and forth over the opening seven minutes of the fourth quarter before the Dolphins closed out the game with five of the last six points. Roberts made two free throws and Corcoran finished the scoring with a three-pointer.

Le Moyne (1-0) is back in action on Saturday against the host Devils at 2:00 p.m.