NEW HAVEN, CONN. – The New Haven women's basketball team will start the season 1-0 after a dominant 63-37 win on Saturday over the Bloomfield Bears at Moore Field House in New Haven. The Chargers's offense got thing rolling early and never looked back. Cam DeBose, Briana Van Cleaf (Staten Island, N.Y./Notre Dame Academy) and Brie Pergola (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) all reached double digits in points, as the team shot 23-56 (41.1%) from the field. DeBose led the team with 15 points after shooting 6-12 (50%), including 1-3 from beyond the arc. Brie Pergola (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) scored 13 points and tallied seven rebounds and five assists. Newcomer Briana Van Cleaf (Staten Island, N.Y./Notre Dame Academy) started her Charger's career on a good note, putting up 10 points and seven rebounds. Aurora Deshaies (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) picked up where she left off, racking up eight points and 12 total rebounds. 

Defense was the name of the game for the Chargers, holding their opponent to 10 points at the half. As a whole, the squad forced 24 turnovers, while totaling 13 steals and three blocks. Pergola led the defensive campaign with four steals and one block to her credit. Bionca Chambers (Bronx, N.Y./New Milford) had three steals and one block in 19 minutes of action. New Haven was able to convert that defense into offense, scoring 20 points off of turnovers. The Chargers held the Bears to 11-55 (20%) shooting including 1-17 (5.9%) from three.

The Chargers scored 12 points in second chance opportunities as opposed to Bloomfield's five, with six points in the first quarter alone. New Haven was outscored off the bench, 22-13, 16 of which were in the second half. The Chargers dominated the paint, outscoring the Bears 32-14, including 24 points in the paint during the first half.

FIRST QUARTER

• The Chargers stormed out to an 11-0 lead to start the game, only interrupted by a single free throw from Bloomfield, as New Haven would outscore the Bears 17-1 to end the quarter.
• The Chargers shot 47 percent in the first quarter, led by DeBose, who ended the quarter with five points, while Deshaies and Van Cleaf put up four points, each.
• The Bears were held to 0-14 shooting, including 0-5 from the arc. 

 
SECOND QUARTER

• The Chargers continued their offensive barrage, outscoring the Bears 23-9.
• DeBose and Pergola led the quarter with eight points each. Chambers and Bianca Pendleton (Accokeek, Md./New Hope Academy) both added two points, as well.
• The second quarter was the Chargers's most efficient, shooting 7-13 (53.8%) from the field and 2-4 from beyond the arc. 
• Most of New Haven's points came from the line, going 7-10 on free throw attempts.
• Marigona Bacaliu (Worcester, Mass./Putnam Science Academy) connected on a three-pointer for her first career basket as a member of the Chargers.
• A made free throw by Bloomfield with 11 seconds left, sent the Chargers to the halftime with a 40-10 lead.
• The Chargers shot an even 50 percent in the first half, making 15 baskets on 30 attempts.

THIRD QUARTER

• The Chargers saw a combination of five different players make baskets.
• Deshaies led the quarter for the New Haven with four points and three rebounds
• Pergola ended the third with two points, two assists, a rebound and a steal.
• A jumper by Pergola with a little over eight minutes left gave the Chargers their largest lead of the night (34).
• The Bears were able to cut the lead by two after the quarter, shooting 4-11 and drawing 12 free throw attempts, making half of them.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Van Cleaf lead the fourth quarter with four points and two rebounds.
• Luzdali Ocasio (Davenport, Fla./New Hampton) connected on a three-pointer to start the quarter off, one of three made in the contest for the Chargers.
• Pergola and Pendleton each added a point off of a made free throw.
• Newcomer Lyrik Jackson (Syracuse, N.Y./Syracuse Academy of Science) scored her first points as a Charger off of a pair of free throws
• The Chargers shot their lowest percent in the fourth, going 3-11 (27.3%).
• The Bears outscored the Chargers in the quarter, 13-11, despite shooting 3-12 (23.1%)

WHAT'S NEXT
The Chargers will wrap up the SCSU Conference Challenge against the Georgian Court Lions. Tip off for that game is scheduled for 1:00 PM on Sunday, Nov. 14 at Moore Field House in New Haven.