Box Score Niagara (0-1) 23-33—56
Daemen (1-0) 46-29—75

AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen College women's basketball team opened the 2012-13 season with a 75-56 victory over Niagara College (Ont.) tonight at Daemen's Lumsden Gymnasium. It also marked the season-opener for the visiting Knights.

Daemen, which returns four starters and 10 players from last year's team that finished 23-8, placed three players in double figures. Senior Lia Zahn (Canadaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua HS) drained six three-pointers and totaled a team-high 20 points in 25 minutes of action. Fellow senior Chelsea Andorka (Canton, OH / Notre Dame College) scored all 15 of her points in the first half and also added four steals. Former St. Mary's of Lancaster standout Raeann Stilwell (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) contributed 10 points, three assists and three steals in her first collegiate game.

Junior guard Lindsay Stoddard (Limestone, N.Y./Allegany-Limestone HS) turned in a solid all-around game for the Wildcats with nine points, seven assists and two steals, while 5-foot-5 guard Samantha Stanfield (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison HS) grabbed a team-high nine rebounds (seven offensive), dished out five assists and collected a team-high five steals. Senior center Monica Kosior (Grimsby, Ont./Canisius College) added eight points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the hosts.

Sophomore Kaitlyn McPherson (Welland, Ont.) paced the visiting Knights with 11 points, a game-high 16 rebounds and three assists. Senior Kate Montgomery (Waterford, Ont.) scored a team-high 15 points for Niagara, while sophomore Miranda Ross (St. Catharines, Ont.) chipped in 12 points and six boards.

Daemen scored the first 12 points of the game and later took a 22-8 lead following a three-pointer by Zahn with 10:46 left in the first half. The Wildcats upped the lead to 21-points, 37-16, following a triple by Stllwell with 5:36 left before the break. The teams traded baskets the rest of the half and Daemen took a 46-23 lead into halftime.

Niagara connected on 14-of-30 shots (47%) in the second half, but the visitors came no closer than 19 points over the final 20 minutes. Daemen took its largest lead of the game, 73-42, following a three-pointer by Stilwell with 4:44 left to play.

The Wildcats shot 47.5-percent (19-40) from the field in the first half and drilled 11 three-pointers in the contest. Niagara was just 1-for-6 from beyond the arc and turned the ball over 21 times—resulting in 26 points for the hosts.

Daemen returns to action Friday (10/26) when it hosts Fleming College at 5:30 p.m.