Springfield, Mass. – Junior guard McKayla Roberts (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) scored nine of her 19 points in overtime to lead the Le Moyne College women's basketball team to a 63-60 come-from-behind overtime victory over American International College in the Northeast-10 Conference opener for both teams on Wednesday evening at Butova Gymnasium.

The Dolphins won at American International for the first time since November 25, 2008, snapping a streak of nine consecutive losses at Butova Gymnasium.

In addition to her team-high 19 points, Roberts finished the game with a career high-tying nine rebounds and three assists. Freshman guard Cameron Tooley (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) registered 16 points, including 11 in the first half, in her collegiate debut.

Dana Watts led the Yellow Jackets in the loss with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, including 16 and eight in the second half, while dishing out four assists. Alyssa Guyon posted 13 points, including all six of her team's overtime points, and seven rebounds, while Ishanna Brown recorded 10 first-half points.

After the teams split the first 14 points over the opening 4:25, the scored five straight points for their largest lead of the game. Tooley hit a three-pointer and then classmate Erin Fouracre (Loudonville, N.Y./South Colonie) converted a lay-up at the 4:43 mark.

The Yellow Jackets responded with 11 of the last 12 points of the quarter to take an 18-13 lead after 10 minutes of play. Brown scored four of the points, while four others accounted for the other seven points of the span.

After American International extended its lead to nine with the first four points of the second quarter, the Dolphins scored eight straight points. Tooley had the first six on back-to-back three-pointers in a span of 23 seconds and graduate student forward Corinne Poitevien (Bardonia, N.Y./Paramus Catholic (N.J.)) capped the streak with two free throws with 4:34 left in the half.

The Yellow Jackets pushed the lead back to six, but Fouracre hit a three-pointer with 1:04 left in the half to get the Dolphins within 27-24 at the intermission.

American International tallied the first nine points of the third quarter to take its largest lead of the game with 6:36 remaining in the period. Watts accounted for all nine points in the span.

Le Moyne answered back with seven straight points to get within five. Tooley and Roberts each made two free throws and then freshman forward Jenna Zimmerman (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) drained her first collegiate three-pointer.

The Yellow Jackets used runs of 6-2 run and 4-0 around a 5-1 run by the Dolphins to take a 47-38 lead after three quarters of play.

The Dolphins opened the fourth quarter with the first five points and nine of the first 12 to pull within 50-47 with 4:47 to go. Roberts started the run with a three-pointer and senior guard Madison Purcell (Clifton Park, N.Y./Catholic Central) followed by making a pair of free throws. After a Guyon three-pointer, Zimmerman made a lay-up and Roberts knocked down a jumper in the paint.

Watts scored four straight points to give the Yellow Jackets a 54-47 lead with 2:41 left in the quarter, but the team would not score the rest of the period.

Le Moyne's comeback started with a free throw by junior forward Colleen Corcoran (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) with 2:16 left. Tooley followed with a three-pointer with 1:48 to go to get the Dolphins within three. After a missed jumper by Watts, Purcell drained a three-pointer with 1:02 left to even the score at 54.

Each team committed a turnover on their next possession, which resulted in AIC having the ball with eight seconds left. Watts was unable to get off a clean shot before time expired.

Guyon gave the Yellow Jackets the first lead of overtime, but Roberts answered with a three-pointer. After Guyon made a pair of lay-ups around a Roberts jumper, Roberts gave the Dolphins the lead for good with two free throws with 57 seconds left.

AIC had three shots on its next possession, but was unable to score and Roberts pulled down her ninth rebound and was then fouled. She converted the subsequent free throws for the final points of the game. AIC had two three-point attempts in the final 10 seconds, but each was off the mark.
 
Le Moyne (1-0, 1-0 NE10) returns to action on Saturday at Southern Connecticut State University at 1:30 p.m.