LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Leanne Ockenden (Syracuse, N.Y.) tied her career-high with 18 points, leading three players in double figures in scoring as the Marist women's basketball team defeated Rider 62-47 in its Metro Atlantic Athletics Conference (MAAC) opener Friday night.
Ockenden was a perfect 4-4 from three-point range while shooting a near-perfect 7-8 overall from the field. Kristina Danella (Manalapan, N.J.) came off the bench for the Red Foxes to score 12 points, shooting 5-8 from the floor. Casey Dulin (Milford, Conn.) overcame a slow start and finished with 10 points and tied a season-high with seven rebounds. Elizabeth Beynnon (Burlington, Vt.) set a new personal best with six assists while scoring seven points and adding three rebounds.
The Red Foxes (6-6, 1-0 MAAC) came out slow, starting just 1-8 from the floor and falling behind early, 11-4. From there however, Marist outscored Rider (5-7, 0-1 MAAC) 30-10 over the final 14:26 of the first half.
Beynnon started the run with a layup and eventually scored six of her seven points in the streak. A Kristine Best (Commack, N.Y.) three-pointer eventually tied the score at 15-15 with 8:24 left.
On the ensuing possession, Sydney Coffey (New Hope, Minn.) converted an three-point play to give Marist a lead, 18-15, that they would not relinquish.
Following a Rider bucket, the Red Foxes went on a streak of eight consecutive points to extend their lead to nine points, 26-17. Ockenden had back-to-back baskets on a running jumper and a layup, both assisted by Beynnon, and Danella and Dulin each both had two-point baskets.
Marist went into the locker room at halftime up by 13 points, 34-21. Ockenden and Beynnon led Marist at the break with seven points apiece while Dulin and Danella each had six. Beynnon had already tied her career-high with four assists.
After the Broncst scored the first three points of the second half, Marist went on another run, this time scoring 16 of 20 points to open a 50-28 lead. Ockenden has six of those points on two more three-pointers while Danella and Dulin each had four points.
Rider made a run late in the game, scoring 13 of the final 20 points, as Marist emptied its bench, giving valuable minutes to some of its younger players.
Marist returns home to McCann Arena for the first time in nearly a month on Sunday to host Fairfield in a 2 p.m. contest. The game will be a rematch of the 2012 MAAC Championship, which the Red Foxes won 61-35.
Notes - Ockenden's four three-pointers ties her for eighth all-time in Marist history with 116 made treys. She is tied with Nina Vecchio (2000-04) and is three behind Melissa Hauser (1992-96).
