Sparkill, N.Y. (11/12/16)  The Dominican College women's basketball team opened the 2016-2017 season with a non-conference loss to Molloy College, 62-71, in the opening game of the St. Thomas Aquinas College Tip-Off Classic being  played in Aquinas Hall Gymnasium.

The Lions got the game's opening basket, but the Lady Chargers scored the next two on back-to-back shots from senior forward Lisa Bouffard (Wallkill, N.Y.) to give DC the 4-2 edge with 7:13 remaining in the first quarter.  Junior Rebecca Rabeiro (Midland Park, N.J.) followed with layup and after a MC score, senior Shannon McGill (Staten Island, N.Y.) hit a trey to increase the lead to 9-4 with 5:49 left in the quarter.  A 15-0 run by Molloy closed out the first quarter and put them back in front, 19-9.

MC continued to control the offense as they outscored the Lady Chargers, 17-10 in the second quarter and took a 36-19 lead into the locker room at the break.

Dominican (0-1) countered in the third frame as they closed the deficit with 24 points to Molloy's 12 to make the score 48-43 at the end of three quarters.  Senior Stefani Alston (West Orange, N.J.) ended the third quarter with a jumper to bring DC within five points.

A trey from guard Jacqueline Rywalt (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) with 3:14 left in regulation made the score 53-57, but six unanswered Lion points regained the double-digit advantage and they went on to the win.

Bouffard led the Lady Chargers with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Freshman Jasmine Gee (Englewood, N.J.) added 12 points and six caroms, while Rywalt and McGill contributed eight points and four assists each in the loss.

Taylor Nelson (Piscataway, N.J.) and Brittany Stone (Paramus, N.J.) came off the bench and had three steals a-piece.

The Lady Chargers will take on the host tomorrow afternoon at 3pm.