Sam Brigham (Simsbury, CT) and Joelle Connelly (Arcade, NY) both scored in double figures for the Pride, but Iona's Kristina Ford scored four points in the final two minutes break a tie and hand Hofstra a 61-57 season-opening loss to the Gaels Friday night in a non-conference matchup at Hynes Athletic Center.
The Pride opened the 2007 campaign with a win against Iona but couldn't replicate the feat despite building a 13-point first-half lead. Iona, coming off a second-round appearance in last season's WNIT, improved to 8-7 in the all-time series. Hofstra's ledger dropped to 0-1.
Connelly shined in her NCAA debut, collecting a double-double in nearly leading Hofstra to a win. The freshman poured in a team-high 17 points and added 10 rebounds in 30 minutes despite coming off the bench. Brigham added 12 points and connected on five of seven free throws.
Fellow freshman Nicole Capurso (Staten Island, NY) followed Connelly's lead, shrugging off any first-game nerves by scoring in double figures. The 5-9 guard added five points to complement the starting backcourt of Brigham and Candice Bellocchio (seven points). Hofstra's bench out-scored Iona's, 24-17, in a game that featured eight lead changes.
Iona trailed by double-digits before completing a second-half rally. Thazina Cook, who registered a game-high 21 points, converted an easy lay-in off a full-court pass to tie it at 40 with 14:48 remaining in the contest. Previously, Hofstra led for every second since the game's second minute.
Catherine Lutz jumper from the top of the key gave the Gaels a 46-45 lead. After forcing a stop, Suzi Fergosi hit one of two free throws to build the lead to two. Capurso responded with her first collegiate three-pointer, putting the Pride up 48-47 at the six-minute mark.
Connelly built the lead by hitting two free throws, though Lutz answered back with a high-arching three-pointer from NBA range to tie it again at 50. Bellocchio responded in kind, hitting her only three-pointer of the evening to put the Pride back on top.
The Gaels stormed back to take the lead, culminating in a 55-53 edge after Kristina Ford's free throw made it 55-53. Bellocchio pulled the Pride even again on the next passion, drawing a foul near midcourt and hitting both free throws with 1:38 remaining.
Ford then swung the momentum irrevocably to the home team, hitting a lay-up. Brigham's jumper went off the rim, though Connelly kept Hofstra in the game by blocking a shot near the paint that would have given the Gaels a two-possession lead with 48 seconds left on the clock.
Brigham's hard pass into the paint set-up Jess Fuller (Queens, NY), who drew the foul with 25.2 seconds remaining. But Fuller missed both free throws and Ford grabbed the rebound and hit her ensuing free throws to seal the victory for the Gaels .
In her first game action in nearly a year, Fuller scored six points and contributed six rebounds in 29 minutes.
Hofstra controlled the action for much of the opening 20 minutes. Connelly scored 11 first-half points with five rebounds, helping the Pride cruise into halftime with a six-point lead. Connelly notched first collegiate points nearly seven minutes into the game, pouring in a lay-up midway through the first half to give the Pride a 17-9 edge.
Capurso also made her first appearance of the Pride, entering at the14:52 mark in the first half. The Staten Island native gave Hofstra its biggest lead of the opening half, driving the lane for a layup for a 23-10 advantage.
Iona closed the gap thanks to Cook, who helped initiate a 9-2 run by shooting 4-8 from the field, including a three-pointer. But Bellocchio sent Hofstra into the dressing room with momentum, stealing the ball at the top of the key and running the entire length of the floor for the layup to provide a 33-27 halftime lead.
Natty Fripp (Oakland, CA) hit two of her three three-pointers, finishing with eight points for the Pride.
Hofstra will next be in action Thursday when it travels to New England to take on Boston College. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
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