EASTON, Mass. – The University of New Haven women's basketball team used a strong defensive effort and post game as the Chargers won their first ever game at Merkert Gymnasium, defeating the Stonehill Skyhawks 80-62 in a Northeast-10 Conference game on Tuesday evening.
 
With the win, New Haven is now 7-8 overall with a 3-6 record in the NE-10. Stonehill is 8-8 with a 3-7 conference mark.
 
Briana Bradford (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) led four Chargers in double figures with 21 points and a career-high tying nine rebounds. Lauren Hebert (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) netted 19 points and added 8 boards. India Dotson (Akron, Ohio/Frederick (Md.) / Monmouth University) scored 12 points and Katia Oge (New City, N.Y./Immaculate Heart Academy) dropped a career-best 10.
 
The Blue and Gold was strong defensively, holding Stonehill to just 31.7 percent from the floor and six points under its scoring average for the season. For the game, New Haven held a 56-26 advantage for points in the paint and was 33-for-63 (52.4 percent) from the floor.
 
New Haven jumped out early, racing to a 9-2 lead as four different players scored the first four baskets. Continuing to shoot the ball well, the Blue and Gold opened a 24-13 lead at the end of the first period on the strength of 11-for-17 shooting. The strong play continued in the next 10 minutes as the squad opened a 43-31 lead heading into halftime, shooting 62.5 percent in the opening two periods.
 
After the Chargers opened the third period well, pushing the lead to 52-33 just more than two minutes into the third period, the Skyhawks went on an 15-2 run spanning the end of the third and into the fourth period, cutting the lead to 61-57 with 8:53 remaining. New Haven regained its defensive composure down the stretch, pulling away for the win.
 
The Chargers return to action on Saturday, Jan. 16 as they travel to Worcester, Mass. to face the Assumption Greyhounds in a Northeast-10 Conference matchup. Tipoff from Laska Gym is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.