Le Moyne (0-1) vs. Lafayette College (0-2)
Info: Sunday, Nov. 9 | 11:00 AM | Easton Pa. | Kirby Sports Center
Watch: ESPN+ 
Listen: FOX Sports 92.5 FM/1490 AM
Live Stats: https://goleopards.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Lafayette's Links: Schedule | Roster | News

Easton, Pa. – The Le Moyne College women's basketball team will travel to Lafayette College for their second non-conference game of the season on Sunday morning. Tip is set for 11:00 a.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+ from Kirby Sports Center. 

Last Time Out:
Le Moyne opened the season on the road against St. John's on Monday and dropped the matchup, 68-53. Freshman Kayden Clark led the team in scoring in her first collegiate performance, tallying 14 points on 72% shooting from the field while going a perfect 4-4 from behind the arc. Senior guard Sierra Linnin also finished in double figures in scoring for the Dolphins with 10 points while junior forward Ashley Buragas followed behind with eight points and a 3-4 rate from the charity stripe. Sophomore guard Eli Clark and freshman guard Peyton Dincher each tallied seven points with Clark adding a career-high seven rebounds and team-high seven assists, as well.

Series History:
Sunday's matchup will mark the first meeting between the women's basketball programs at Le Moyne and Lafayette, and the Dolphins' fifth against a Patriot League member institution since transitioning to the Division I level prior to the 2023-24 season.

Common Opponents:
The Dolphins and Leopards have five common opponents this season, in NEC members Saint Francis, Wagner, and FDU, along with Lafayette's Patriot League foe Bucknell, and non-conference opponent Pitt. 

Le Moyne will take on Bucknell on Tues, Nov. 25 while Lafayette will match-up with Saint Francis, Wagner, and FDU between Tues, Nov. 18 and Weds, Dec. 3. Both teams will take on each of their respective conference opponents twice later in the season.

As for Pitt, Le Moyne will travel to take on the Panthers on Tues, Nov. 18, one week before the Leopards do the same on Nov. 25.  

Year #3:
Le Moyne is in its third year transitioning to the Division I level and is the only institution in the nation in its transition "class." The Dolphins went 15-17 in their first season at the Division I level in 2023-24, including 9-7 in NEC action to earn the fourth seed in the conference tournament. The team then posted a 7-24 overall record last season, including going 6-10 in conference play, en route to their second straight NEC tournament, this time as the fifth seed. 

Returners:
The 2025-26 Dolphins will feature six returners; senior guards Sierra Linnin (Valley Cottage, N.Y. / Albertus Magnus) and Michelina Lombardi (Wynantskill, N.Y. / Averill Park), juniors guard Jessica Wangolo (Ottawa, O.N. / Capital Courts Academy / Buffalo) and forward Sydney Postell (Churchville, N.Y. / Churchville-Chili), sophomore guard Eli Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Ocean Township), and redshirt sophomore guard Amya McLeod (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy / Youngstown State).

Newcomers:
The Dolphins welcomed eight new players to the program this year, including six freshman, one sophomore, and one junior. Guards Peyton Dincher (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore), Ava Lucarotti (Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep), and Kayden Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Manasquan) join forwards Ava Johnson (Richmond, Va. / The Steward School), Rachel Lynch (Cork, Ireland / Putnam Science Academy (Conn.)), and Praise Matthews (Red Lion, Pa. / Dallastown) as 'Phins freshmen this season. Junior forward Ashley Buragas (Hopewell Junction, N.Y. / John Jay / Mineral Area College) joins Le Moyne's program after a two-year stint at NJCAA Mineral Area College in Park Hills, M.O. while sophomore guard Sophia Bonnell (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads / SUNY New Paltz) played one season in NCAA Division III for the New Paltz Hawks. 5-

NEC Outlook:
Le Moyne's squad was selected to finish fourth in the regular season standings in the NEC preseason coaches' poll, just behind unanimous favorite FDU, Stonehill, and Chicago State. CCSU, Mercyhurst, Wagner, LIU, New Haven, and Saint Francis rounded out the poll behind the Dolphins. 

Eli Clark was named to the preseason All-NEC team, as well, after recording averages of 8.2 points (third on the team), 3.3 rebounds (fifth on the team) and a team-best 2.9 assists over a team-high 31.5 minutes per game as a starter in 27 of 30 games played. During NEC action, she increased her averages to 8.5 points and 3.5 assists to go with 3.1 rebounds as a starter in 12 of 15 games.

Coach DiPillo:
Nick DiPillo was named the seventh head coach in Le Moyne women's basketball program history on May 23, 2024 after stints as an assistant coach at Bowling Green State University, University of Pittsburgh, Seton Hall University and with the New York Liberty, in addition to a successful head coaching stint at the University of Scranton. 

The Dolphins earned the fifth seed in the 2024-25 NEC tournament in coach Dipillo's first season, eventually taking down #4 Saint Francis, 62-51, in the opening round before falling to #2 Stonehill, 41-60, in the semifinals. 

Look at the Leopards:
The Leopards will host the Dolphins in their first home game of the season possessing an 0-2 record thus far into the season. Head coach Kia Damon-Olson is entering her ninth season at the helm of Lafayette's program in 2025-26.

Lafayette opened their season on the road at Villanova where they fell to the Wildcats, 38-70, on Monday night before dropping their most recent matchup against Rider, 58-65, in New Jersey on Thursday.

Through their first two games, junior guard Teresa Kiewiet leads with 14.5 points while senior guard Sauda Ntaconayigize sits just behind with another 14.0 points and a 33% rate from beyond the arc. Kiewiet has also put up team-highs in rebounds (7.5), assists (three), steals (1.5), and blocks (1.5) for the Leopards this season. 

The Leopards return 10 players from its 2024-25 team that went 10-21 overall and advanced to the quarterfinals of their conference tournament, along with five freshman newcomers.

The team lost their leading scorer, rebounder, and assist-producer from a season ago but retained senior guard Kay Donahue who averaged 9.6 through 21 games. Donahue also led with 4.7 boards per game while Ntaconayigize put up a team-high .420 three-point percentage last season. 

Lafayette's team was voted to finish ninth in the Patriot League preseason coaches' poll after going 6-12 in conference play in 2024-25.

What's Next:
Following their meeting with Lafayette, the Dolphins will travel to Waco, T.X. for a game against the Baylor Bears at 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, Nov. 16.