North Adams, Mass. - November 10, 2018 - The Springfield College women's basketball team opened the 2018-19 season in impressive fashion, as the Pride defeated MCLA, 76-37, at the Amsler Campus Center on Saturday evening. 

The win helps the Pride improve to 1-0 on the year, while the Trailblazers fall to 0-1. The Pride was 28-for-56 (50%) from the floor in the victory, while MCLA was just (14-for-53) 26.4% in the setback. The Pride held a 39-31 advantage on the glass, while it also outscored MCLA in the paint, 36-18. 

Junior forward Taylor Hall (Tolland, Conn.) led the Pride with 18 points, which matched her career-high total in points, while Gracie Restituyo (Barrington, R.I.) notched 13 points to go along with four rebounds. Alex Goslin (South Windsor, Conn.) also added 11 points, four assists and two steals in the victory. 

The Trailblazers were led by McKenzie Robinson (Adams, Mass.), who had 11 points, while she also led MCLA in rebounds with five. 

After MCLA scored the first four points of the contest, the Pride answered with three-consecutive buckets, as Chelsea McAllister (Baltimore, Vt.), Hall and Restituyo all scored to make it 6-4 with 6:12 to play in the first quarter. With 1:59 on the clock, Lauren Rudolph (Franklin, Mass.) drained a three, but was answered by Courtney Pingelski (Mechanicville, N.Y.), before four-consecutive free throws from McAllister gave the maroon and white a 17-15 lead after one. 

A three-pointer from McAllister just 1:16 into the second quarter sparked a 15-1 run, which was finished off on a jumper from Hall with 1:54 to play in the half, putting Springfield College up 34-20. From there, a lay-up from Hall gave the Pride a 38-22 lead with 49 seconds to play, a scoring margin the Pride would carry into the halftime break. 

Back-to-back baskets from Restituyo to open the second half gave the Pride a 20-point lead, before a three-pointer from Grace Dzindolet (Holliston, Mass.) gave the Pride a 30-point, 56-26 advantage with 1:59 on the clock. 

From there, Springfield College would control the game, and improve its lead to 36 on a jumper from Goslin with 3:58 on the clock, before sealing it's first win of the year on a lay-up from Madeline Fay (Braintree, Mass.).

Next, Springfield College will travel to cross-town rival Western New England on Tuesday, November 13 as the Pride will tip off with the Golden Bears at 7 p.m.