BRONX, N.Y. – With 2,800 screaming fans in attendance, Fordham University women's basketball defeated St. Bonaventure 65-57 Wednesday morning, earning their first conference victory of the campaign. With the victory the Rams improved to 6-8 (1-2 A-10) on the year while St. Bonaventure falls to 4-9 (1-1 A-10).
The Rams feasted on the energy from the crowd almost immediately, with thousands of local school children packed into the Rose Hill Gym for the annual Field Trip Day game. Taylor Donaldson would lead the scoring with 24 points, her fifth 20-point game of the season, while also contributing five steals, four rebounds, and a pair of assists.
One of three double digit scorers on the day for the Rams, Emy Hayford would tack on another 12 points alongside three assists and three rebounds. Matilda Flood scored 10 points on a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range and pulled down six boards, tied with Maranda Nyborg for the team high.
With 17 assists as a team, the Rams recorded 15 or more dimes for the seventh time this season, paced by four by Mandy McGurk and three from both Hayford and Taya Davis, who also shot four of six from the field.
Scoring seven unanswered points out of the gates, Fordham would continue to fire heading towards the first quarter media break, and five different Rams sank a basket from the field in the period. Fordham shot 9-for-16 (.562) in the quarter to take a big lead over the Bonnies 21-8 to start the game.
St. Bonaventure would work its way back into the contest in the second quarter, out pacing Fordham by seven in the quarter to draw within six as the teams headed to halftime. Donaldson would pace the Rams in the opening half, drilling five shots for 13 points, including a trio of three pointers.
Out of the stoppage, the Rams would force a timeout early in the second half, scoring 10 points in the first three minutes to go up by 12. Strong play on offense would continue for the Rams as the third quarter drew on, scoring 16 points in the frame, but the Bonnies would once again work their way back, with Fordham holding an eight point advantage heading into the fourth.
Trading buckets back and forth down the stretch, the Rams and Bonnies would head into the final minute of regulation with the home side holding a seven point lead with 52.1 seconds to go. From there the Rams would fight off a comeback effort with key points from the free throw line to see out an eight point victory, the first Atlantic 10 victory for Head Coach Bridgette Mitchell.
Fordham women's basketball heads on the road for three of its next four games, beginning with a trip to Philadelphia Saturday to take on La Salle.
