WEST HAVEN, Conn. – A pair of three-pointers from junior Brie Pergola (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) in the final two minutes helped New Haven to a huge early season 52-49 win over reigning NE10 champion and preseason divisional favorite Le Moyne on Saturday at Charger Gymnasium. The conference opening win helps New Haven stay unbeaten and move to 4-0 for the first time since 2013-14, while Le Moyne drops to 3-3 (0-1 NE10).

Freshman Aurora Deshaies (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) had a team-high 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Pergola scored nine points on 3-of-4 from the floor and added three assists. Luzdali Ocasio (Davenport, Fla./New Hampton) had team-highs of five assists and four steals to go with six points. Senior Micah Wormack (Cumberland, Md./Allegany) hauled in a game-high 14 rebounds and a season-high five blocks, while adding in eight points and two steals. Jasmine White (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's) added six points, four rebounds, and two steals for the Blue and Gold.

New Haven shot 38.5 percent from the floor and dominated on the boards where they held a 42-28 advantage. The New Haven defense held Le Moyne to 32.7 percent shooting, almost nine percent below their season average. New Haven came away with 11 steals and forced 16 Dolphin turnovers.

QUOTES FROM THE COACH: Debbie Buff

• "Our goal was to come out of the gate fast, control the boards and weather their runs."
• "We knew Le Moyne was a very good team and we had to be well prepared and play for 40 minutes."
• "We always want to protect our home court and we fed off the crowd's energy. It was a great way to start conference play."

FIRST QUARTER

• New Haven roared out of the gate, starting the game with an 8-0 run that began just six seconds in off the opening tip, when Pergola hustled down the loose ball and fed Deshaies in the lane for two. Deshaies added an and-one with a layup and free throw, and Wormack scored three points on the run, capping the streak with a jumper for the eight-point lead, forcing a Le Moyne timeout at the 6:36 mark.
• The Dolphins scored 15 of the next 19 points to take a 13-12 lead, capped by a jumper and free throw with 2:59 on the clock. Liz Millea added a jumper just over a minute later to get the Le Moyne lead to 15-12, prompting a New Haven timeout at 1:48.
• White grabbed a putbck layup for the Chargers, then Ocasio notched a steal and took it all the way to the rim to put New Haven back on top 16-15 with just over one minute left.
• McKayla Roberts gave Le Moyne the 18-16 lead at the horn with a three-pointer from just inside half court.

SECOND QUARTER

• Ocasio gave the Chargers the lead with a three-pointer off a Ricard assist to open up the second quarter. Richard found White for a layup, then answered a Le Moyne three with a triple of her own to put the Chargers up 24-21.
• Defense turned to offense when Wormack came away with consecutive blocks, leading to a three from Camryn DeBose (Wellington, Fla./Wellington Community) with 3:19 remaining, giving New Haven a 27-21 lead they carried into halftime.

 
THIRD QUARTER

• Deshaies started the first half in the same manner as the first, putting in a layup to grow the New Haven to eight, 29-21 in the opening moments of the third.
• Le Moyne got back within two over the next minute with six quick points.
• New Haven would retain the lead throughout the quarter, pushing it back to six on two occasions.
• A triple in the closing 10 seconds by the Dolphins trimmed the lead to 39-36 heading to the fourth.

 
FOURTH QUARTER

• New Haven grew the lead back to six to start the fourth before Le Moyne rallied to take a 44-42 lead following an 8-0 run, taking their first lead of the second half with 4:48 to play.
• Deshaies tied the game moments later with a pair of free throws, and Pergola sank one of her own to put the Chargers back up by one with 3:21 left.
• Trailing by one with 1:43 left, Pergola drilled her first three-point attempt of the game to give New Haven the 48-46 lead, only to see the Dolphins regain the lead with a triple of their own on the ensuing possession.
• Pergola once again provided the answer with her second straight jumper from downtown to put the Chargers back on top, this time for good, 51-49 with 49 seconds on the clock.
• Ocasio padded the lead with a free throw with 30 seconds left, and two game-tying three-point attempts in the closing seconds didn't fall as the Chargers held on for the win.

New Haven will hit the road for the first time this season in their next matchup on Tuesday at Pace. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. on NE10 NOW.