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Coming off an historic 26-9 campaign a season ago, Fordham fans may be wondering if the women's basketball team can equal such a mark in 2013-14.  If Sunday's home exhibition win over Kutztown is any indication, the Rams are poised to be a force in the Atlantic 10 once again, downing the Golden Bears 86-49.

The Rams received a pair of outstanding performances from returning players, as Samantha Clark registered a double-double with 24 points and 13 boards and Abigail Corning tallied 11 points, nine assists and five steals.

In addition to the output of those stalwarts, two highly-touted freshmen shined in a big way.  Hannah Missry shot lights-out from three, going 7-11 from beyond the arc for a game-high 25 points.  Classmate Danielle Burns exploded in the second half, finishing the contest with 13 points, six rebounds and six assists.  

As a squad, the Rams shot 51 percent from the floor, including an incredible 48 percent from three-point range.

The Rams got on the board first in the early going, as Corning made her first field goal attempt of the day from the left side thirty seconds into the contest.  Kutztown quickly made its way back into the game; however, scoring 11 of the next 16 points to move ahead 11-7.  With her team trailing, Corning made some noise heading into the first media timeout, absorbing contact and converting on a three-point play, pulling Fordham within one at 11-10. 
 
The Rams retook the lead, 13-12, on Samantha Clark and-one with 13:16 to go and held the advantage again when a pair of Corning free throws made it 15-14 less than a minute later. 
 
After Kutztown made a layup and Alina Gjerkes knotted the score at 16 on a free throw with 10:50 on the clock, the two teams traded buckets before a Hannah Missry three-pointer moved the Rams ahead 25-22 with less than five minutes remaining until the intermission. 
 
The two squads went scoreless over the next couple of minutes until Corning found Clark inside for her fourth assist of the half.  Missry then connected from downtown again, moving the Rams ahead 30-22 with just under three minutes to go until the half.
 
Clark would pour in four more points, Missry would convert on another long ball, and Danielle Burns would bank one in before the break, giving Fordham a 39-25 lead at the half.  The Rams closed the first stanza on a 21-3 tear.
 
At the break, Clark led the Rams with 15 points on 6-8 shooting and seven boards.  Corning and Missry each had nine in the opening period, while Corning led the Rams with six assists.
 
After the intermission, Missry opened up the second half with the team's first five points and the Rams extended their lead to 17, 49-32, at the period's first media timeout. 
 
The Jackson, N.J., native connected on another three-ball less than a minute later at 15:10, moving Fordham ahead by 20. 
 
The Golden Bears would get one more bucket on the board before the Rams opened up a 7-0 run, giving Fordham a 59-34 lead with just under 11 minutes remaining in the second half.
 
Fordham would maintain a lead in the area of 25 points over the next several minutes, as Missry connected on her sixth three of the game to move Fordham ahead 69-43 5:53 remaining in the game.
 
The Rams offense continued to click over the game's closing minutes, outscoring the Golden Bears 17-6 and coming away with the 86-49 victory.

Fordham opens the regular season on Friday in a doubleheader with the men's squad.  Coach Gaitley and the Rams face off against San Francisco and 6 PM before Coach Pecora and his team take on St. Franics (Pa.) at 8:30 PM.