EMMITSBURG, Md. (Interstat) — Mount Saint Mary’s cruised to an 81-52 victory over Mercyhurst in a nonconference women’s basketball game Monday night at Knott Arena. The Mountaineers led wire-to-wire, establishing a 21-12 lead after the first quarter and extending it steadily. Gabrielle Kennerly led a balanced Mount Saint Mary’s attack with 17 points, while Berlynn Carlson added 16. Nyodie Guerard facilitated the offense with seven assists. Erica Hall scored a game-high 26 points for the Lakers, who remain winless. Cici Hernandez contributed 17 points for Mercyhurst. The Mountaineers improved to 4-5 overall, while the Lakers fell to 0-10. An announced crowd of 471 attended the game.

EMMITSBURG, Md. (Interstat) — The Mount Saint Mary’s women’s basketball team used a balanced offensive attack and a disruptive defensive effort to pull away from Mercyhurst for an 81-52 victory on Monday night at Knott Arena. The Mountaineers (4-5) never trailed, opening the game on a 10-0 run and maintaining a double-digit advantage for the final three quarters. The Lakers (0-10), still in search of their first win of the season, struggled to find consistent offense outside of their top scorers and were hampered by 23 turnovers, which Mount Saint Mary’s converted into 28 points. Gabrielle Kennerly led the Mountaineers with 17 points in just 18 minutes off the bench, knocking down five three-pointers. Berlynn Carlson added 16 points and Nyodie Guerard orchestrated the offense with a game-high seven assists to go with 10 points and four steals. Giana Hoddinott contributed 12 points and five assists. For Mercyhurst, Erica Hall delivered a standout individual performance, scoring a game-high 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting, adding three steals and a block in 38 minutes. Cici Hernandez supported with 17 points and four assists, but the rest of the Lakers’ roster combined for only nine points. The most important part of the game was the opening sequence, which set an immediate and decisive tone. Mount Saint Mary’s won the opening tip and, just 15 seconds into the contest, Kennerly sank a three-pointer off an assist from Hoddinott. This sparked a 10-0 run to start the game before Mercyhurst managed its first field goal nearly four minutes in. The early burst established Mount Saint Mary’s control, forced the Lakers to play from behind, and allowed the home team’s defense to settle in and pressure a Mercyhurst squad that has found scoring difficult all season. The Lakers never got closer than seven points the rest of the way. Mount Saint Mary’s built a 21-12 lead after the first quarter and extended it to 37-25 by halftime. The Mountaineers then put the game out of reach with a 19-point third quarter, leading 56-40 heading into the final period. They closed the game with their highest-scoring quarter, pouring in 25 points in the fourth. The Mountaineers shared the ball effectively, tallying 22 assists on 31 made field goals, and capitalized on their depth with a 39-9 advantage in bench scoring. Mercyhurst, which shot just 36% from the field as a team, fell to 0-10 on the season, continuing a difficult non-conference slate. An announced crowd of 471 at Knott Arena saw Mount Saint Mary’s improve to 3-1 at home this season. The game was organized under the Northeast Conference umbrella. Mount Saint Mary’s will look to build on the win when it hosts Marist on Friday. Mercyhurst continues its road swing with a visit to Syracuse, also on Friday.

Preview: Mercyhurst Lakers at Mount Saint Mary’s Mountaineers EMMITSBURG, Md. (Interstat) — The Mount Saint Mary’s women’s basketball team looks to build on its first home win of the season when it hosts winless Mercyhurst in a nonconference matchup Monday night at Knott Arena. The Mountaineers (3-5) are coming off a 75-64 victory over Lehigh on Dec. 7, where Amber Bullard recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The junior center has been a defensive presence, averaging 3.0 blocks over her last three games. Mercyhurst (0-9) seeks its first win after a narrow 60-57 loss to Saint Bonaventure on Friday. The Lakers have lost nine straight to open the season, with five defeats by single digits. Guard Sofia Wilson scored a season-high 23 points in that loss, continuing her role as the team’s primary offensive threat. Wilson is averaging 11.1 points per game. Mount Saint Mary’s has found success at home this season, going 3-1 at Knott Arena with wins over Morgan State, Loyola Maryland and Lehigh. Their defense will be tested by Wilson, but the Mountaineers’ balanced attack, which saw Alana Powell (21 points) and Gabrielle Kennerly (17 points) excel against Lehigh, provides multiple scoring options. The Lakers have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 81.2 points per game. They are coming off a challenging early schedule that included road losses to power conference opponents Michigan State, Iowa State and West Virginia. This game is the final nonconference home contest for the Mountaineers before they begin Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play in January. Mercyhurst continues a tough road stretch before opening Northeast Conference action on Jan. 2. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.