Box Score
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - After having to postpone Friday evening's matchup with the University of the District of Columbia, the D'Youville women's basketball team resumed East Coast Conference play with a dominating 87-57 road victory over the College of Staten Island Sunday afternoon. The Saints led early and often in their second conference win of the season, which featured 20-point performances from freshman guard Haleigh Schafer and sophomore guard Sara Pfeifer as the pair combined for 47 points. The Saints are off to their best nine-game start, improving to 7-2 (2-1 ECC) on the season, since the 2014-15 campaign when D'Youville also began the season 7-2.
The Saints' offense didn't waste any time building their big lead, sprinting out of the gate with 23 first-half points on 48-percent shooting from the field. Trailing 10-9 in the first quarter, Pfieffer knocked down a three to hand the Saints a two-point lead as that shot kick-started a 14-1 run over the final six minutes of the quarter, giving D'Youville a 12-point advantage heading into the second quarter. The Saints cooled off in the second quarter but still outscored the Dolphins 18-15 as they went into the half with a 41-26 advantage.
D'Youville put their foot back on the gas pedal in the third and fourth quarters, matching their first quarter total of 23 points in each of the final two quarters of play. Schafer helped the Saints stretch their advantage in the third, scoring eight of her game-high 27 points, including a three-ball that gave the Saints a 23-point lead with a little over two minutes remaining. Schafer scored 17 in the second half with nine more points to close out the game in the fourth quarter.
Three Saints posted double-figure scoring efforts in Sunday's victory, led by Schafer's 27 points (8-17 FG, 10-13 FT), followed by 20 points (7-14 FG, 6-12 3PT) from Pfeiffer and 14 points (7-12 FG) from freshman guard Anna Jankovic … Jankovic collected a game-high 13 rebounds, good for her third double-double this season.
As a team, the Saints shot 52-percent (34-65 FG) from the field and knocked down nine three-pointers on a 36-percent (9-25 3PT) clip from beyond the arc … D'Youville held the Dolphins (2-7, 0-3 ECC) to 29-percent shooting and outrebounded their opponents, 45-35.
The Saints will close out 2021 with a non-conference matinee matchup with Clarion on New Year's Eve. Tip-off from the College Center Gym is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Tune in to next Friday's game on the ECC Network and track the action on Live Stats. Make sure to follow the Saints on Instagram (@dy_wbb) and Twitter (@DY_WBB).
