Dover, Del. - The Marist women's basketball team fell to Delaware State, 56-49 in its 2004-05 season opener this afternoon. Marist senior Kristin Keller (Poughkeepsie, NY) led all scorers from both teams with 16 points on the day as she played a career-high 34 minutes. It was the first game of the season for the Hornets as well, who extended their home winning streak to 22 games.

Keller got things started early for the Foxes with a layup 30 seconds into the game, but Delaware State would go on a 7-0 run to pull themselves ahead 9-2. Junior transfer Fifi Camara (Conakry, Guinea) scored her first points at Marist with an emphatic three pointer to get the Red Foxes back on the scoring track.

The two teams would trade baskets for the next six minutes with Marist's biggest lead, 21-14 coming after a three from senior Laura Whitney (Southampton, PA). During the Foxes' run, freshman Stephanie Youdath (Mentor, OH) scored her first collegiate points. The Hornets turned up the defensive pressure to slow the Red Foxes' run while picking up some points of their own to tie the game 29-29 going into the half.

The Hornets came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, going on a 10-0 run in the first 4:30 before Camara drained a free throw to bring the Foxes back into it at 39-30. Delaware State had a response for everything that Marist fired at them, keeping the offensive pressure on with 50 percent field goal shooting in the half. Marist would pull to within five at 54-49 off a jumper by freshman Nikki Flores (Montvale, NJ), her first collegiate points.

Delaware State's Talisha McCullough drained a jumpshot to take the end scoring 2:38. Seconds later, Flores took a powerful charge from the Hornets' Lauryn Smith, but the Foxes could not convert on the offensive end. Both squads traded fouls and turnovers in the closing minutes of the game, with Delaware coming up on the winning side.

Marist's Camara led all rebounders with nine while tallying 11 points and leading the Foxes with two blocks and three steals. Youdath would go on to score seven points in her debut, the third most for Marist. Sophomore point guard Alisa Kresge (Holmdel, NJ) dished out a career high seven assists and picked up four boards.

Delaware State's McCullough led her team with 14 points, including a devastating 4-4 from behind the arc. Najmah Fauntleroy had six steals on the day along with 12 points and a team-high eight boards.

The Lady Red Foxes will be in action again next Saturday Nov. 27 at 12:00 p.m. when they travel to face the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure at the Reilly Center.