Arlington, VA…Defense and a balanced offense proved to be the right combination for The College of New Jersey women's basketball team in their season open as the Lions collected an 81-64 win over Lynchburg College on Friday.
 
By beating the Hornets (0-1) in the opening round of the Pablo Coto Tip-Off Tournament, TCNJ (1-0) moves into the title game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. where they will face either the host Saints from Marymount University or Haverford College.
 
All nine players who played for the Lions recorded at least three points with four of them reaching double figures. On the defensive end of the floor, TCNJ forced the Hornets into 24 turnovers and held them to a quiet 40.4 percent shooting from the floor.
 
Things started a little slow for the Lions as the Hornets scored the game's first seven points in the first 1:22 of the contest.
 
TCNJ crept to 7-4 and tied the game at seven-all when junior Kelly Coughlin (Trumbuall, CT/Trumbull) dropped in a 3-pointer. The Lions kept going with buckets from junior Jessica Goldbach (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) and a conventional three-point play from senior Colleen Duffy (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) to move into a 12-7 lead.
 
Later in the half, senior Kelly Roddy (Belmar, NJ/St. Rose) and junior Tiffany DeTulio (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, while DeTulio then scored on a fast break and freshman Katy Amato (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) added a basket, capping off a 27-5 run that saw the Lions lead by 15 points.
 
Lynchburg closed the gap to 33-27 in the final minute of the half, but senior Liz West (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore Regional) connected from the floor with six seconds showing on the clock sending TCNJ into the half with a 35-27 lead.
 
The Lions got a quick jump in the second half racing out with an 11-2 run as they took their biggest lead of the game at 46-29. Junior Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) and Roddy each sank 3-pointers, while O'Donnell then tacked on a three-point play after being fouled and Amato made the final field goal.
 
The Hornets closed to within 55-45 with 9:48 left, but a field goal by Goldbach pushed the difference back to double digits and the Lions never let Lynchburg get any closer as they secured their initial win of the season.
 
O'Donnell paced the Lions with 17 points, while both Roddy and Coughlin scored 13. DeTulio also reached double digits with 10 points.
 
Lynchburg's Chaney Forbush led all players with 26 points and 12 rebounds.