SPARKILL, N.Y. – The D'Youville University women's basketball team got their first win of the 2024-25 season with a 56-51 victory over Bridgeport University on Saturday.
 
Senior Sofie Fuglsang (Oberanven, Luxembourg) led the Saints' offense, scoring a career-high 18 points. Junior Morgan Giancaterino (Orchard Park, N.Y.) also recorded a career-high performance with 15 points. Senior Anna Jankovic (Averill Park, N.Y.) turned in a dominant performance on the boards, grabbing 15 rebounds.
 
A three-pointer from freshman Aliviya Vallone Russell (Buffalo, N.Y.) and a mid-range jumper from Fuglsang gave DYU an early 5-0 advantage. Giancaterino splashed one from beyond the arc to make it 8-2. An 8-2 run from Bridgeport tied the game up at 10, but freshman Samantha Ruhlman (Warren, Pa.) and freshman Allie Hall (Rochester, N.Y.) chipped in four straight points off the bench to give the lead back to the Saints. A three-pointer from Fuglsang extended the lead to 17-10 as the first quarter came to an end.
 
Giancaterino knocked down a three-pointer to increase DYU's lead to ten points early in the second quarter. Bridgeport scored six straight points to cut the lead to four, but Giancaterino cashed in another three-pointer to stop the run. Jankovic scored seven of the Saints' next nine points to send DYU to halftime with a 14-point advantage.
 
Fuglsang opened the third quarter with two consecutive three-pointers to increase the lead to 38-18. Bridgeport cut the lead to ten with 1:31 left in the third quarter. A layup from Fuglsang and a three-point play from Jankovic made it 45-32 as the game moved to the fourth quarter.
 
Bridgeport began the final frame on a 6-0 run before Hall put in a layup to stop the bleeding. The Knights trimmed the Saints' lead down to five with 4:23 left to play, but a layup from Fuglsang and a pair of free throws from Vallone Russell put the game out of reach and DYU secured the victory.
 
D'Youville will be back in action next Saturday when they host St. Michael's College for their home opener.