Offensive surge leads women's basketball to home opener win against Bridgeport

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts – The American International College women's basketball team surged in the second half to defeat the University of Bridgeport 75-67 in the team's home opener on Wednesday, November 16.

AIC is now 1-3 on the season.

The Yellow Jackets started off hot, with a 12-2 lead thanks to an early run in the first five minutes capped by an AJ Washington triple at the 4:47 mark. However, the Purple Knights came back with five points off of a three and a two from Brianna Meekins in the next minute, and though Washington hit a layup for the next points of the quarter, Bridgeport continued closing the gap. Amani Melendez and Rosa Vreugd traded threes, with Melendez banging in another deep shot down the stretch to get the score to 17-15 AIC at the first period stoppage.

The Purple Knights continued their high-pace offense and defense in the second, trading points with the Yellow Jackets as Melendez tied the game with a jumper before Kayla Robinson drew and hit two free throws followed by another three from Vreugd. The guests battled back to tie the game just before the midpoint of the quarter, with Asya Brandon's jumper knotting things at 22-22. Barely half a minute later, they then took the lead on a Melendez bucket, and built to a 34-30 advantage at the break after Tia-Marie Martinez and Melendez traded triples late.

Martinez and Meekins kept it going for their teams out of the break, going back-and-forth in the first minute of the third with buckets. The Purple Knights were never able to extend their lead past four; just after Tyah Pettaway hit a pair of free throws to put her team up 43-39, Martinez sank yet another three. On AIC's next possession, Taylor Tomlinson finished a Nora Young pass to put her team back up, and Robinson and Julia Carbonell Munoz added to the run with jumpers of their own to put AIC ahead 48-43. However, a late run by the Purple Knights turned things back in their favor, as they scored 10 of the next 11, with yet another Martinez three keeping it close as the guests went into the fourth up 53-52.

Though Meekins hit an early layup, AIC took over in the fourth, starting with a three by Robinson. A free throw by Robinson was all the scoring between that and a Martinez layup with 5:38 left that pushed AIC up 58-56. It was at that point that foul trouble got to the Purple Knights, as Robinson and Young each hit two at the stripe, and then Sade Young's three was countered by AIC's Young hitting one. More free throws down the stretch, as well as two Carbonell-Munoz jumpers, iced the game.

Martinez for AIC and Melendez for Bridgeport matched 20-point showings to lead the game, while Robinson had 18 and Young had 13 for AIC; Robinson also had four rebounds, assists, and steals.

AIC returns to action Sunday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m. against Queens College at the Butova Gym.