WILMINGTON, DEL. –
Aquillin Hayes (Harlem, N.Y./Wings Academy) returned to the Chargers lineup with a double-double, scoring 21 points with 11 rebounds and
Bria Moore (West Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career) scored the 1,000
th point of her career early in the second half as the Chargers downed the Goldey-Beacom Lightning 80-72 in a non-conference match at the Joseph West Jones Center on Saturday afternoon.
New Haven (5-1) placed five players in double-figure scoring for the game. In addition to Hayes game-high total,
Briana Bradford (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) added 14 while Moore,
Rykema Stone (Bronx, N.Y./Wings Academy) and
Lauren Hebert (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) added 11 each. For Stone, the 11 points represented a season high.
Though the Chargers never trailed in the game, Goldey-Beacom (0-5) kept it close for the first 12 minutes of the first half. Hayes was a big key to the early advantage for the Blue and Gold, scoring 11 of the Chargers first 15 points as New Haven held a 15-11 lead six-and-a-half minutes in.
Leading 24-23 with 8:03 remaining, UNH embarked on a 15-5 run during the next 4:13 that included three-pointers by Moore and Bradford and was capped by back-to-back baskets by Stone to push the advantage to 39-28. The Lightning and New Haven played evenly through the remainder of the frame as the Chargers took a 45-32 lead into intermission.
Moore's historic basket came early in the second half as the senior scored on a layup at the 19:08 mark to become the 16
th player in New Haven history to reach the 1,000 point mark in her career. As a team, the Chargers continued their offensive output in the second half, extending the lead to 61-44 on a pair of free throws by Bradford with the 11:41 remaining.
The Goldey-Beacom did not go quietly, however, as after UNH extended to their 17-point advantage, the Lightning went on an 18-5 run over a six-plus minute stretch to close the gap to 66-62 with 5:37 remaining. The Chargers would regain their form down the stretch, as the Blue and Gold scored eight of the next 11 points including going 4-for-5 from the line.
New Haven was also strong on the defensive end, holding Goldey-Beacom to 30.9% from the floor and outrebounded the Lightning 47-44.
The Chargers now return home on Wednesday, December 3 when they will take on non-conference foe Dowling at 5:30 pm.