SPARKILL, New York - The American International College women's basketball team dominated the battle off the backboard, collecting 61 rebounds in a 57-51 win over D'Youville University in a nonconference game hosted by Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Friday, November 8.

AIC starts the season 1-0.

The first quarter saw AIC build a 10-8 lead thanks mostly to Ruzgar Christina Boyle, who shot 4-of-6 in the stanza to score eight of AIC's 10 points. Chelsea Reeves knocked a shot home as well, and Rhaymi Porter grabbed five boards to help the Yellow Jackets to the early advantage.

Boyle continued to pile up points in the second, splashing in three shots including her first triple of the contest, while Porter and Keyvanna Bennett each grabbed four rebounds. Bennett's quartet were all on the offensive glass, helping AIC to control possession and lead 25-18 at the break.

Both Boyle and D'Youville's Anna Jankovic sank two deep shots for their respective teams in the third frame, but AIC kept the lead by getting second and even third chances, with seven offensive rebounds in the 10-minute stretch; they also prevented D'Youville from extending possessions by winning all five of the contested balls that followed Saints misses. Porter, Bennett, and Eden Monka each grabbed at least three, while Monka also put home five points to help AIC lead 44-30 after half an hour of play.

The Saints offense came alive in the fourth, shooting 44.4 percent, but even the 21 they put up was too little, too late; though AIC made only one field goal in the final period, the Yellow Jackets won 16 rebounds, including eight in the offensive half, allowing them to draw 18 free throws and close out the win, 57-51.

Boyle led the game with 28 points, while Monka narrowly missed a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine points. Porter grabbed a game-best 16 rebounds. 

The 61 team rebounds total is the most in a game by any Northeast-10 Conference team since Bentley University matched that total on November 9, 2018 against Concordia College; the last time an NE10 team had more was when Saint Michael's College snared 62 against Post University on December 9, 2014. 

AIC will next face the weekend's hosts, Saint Thomas Aquinas College, on Saturday, November 9 at 4:00 p.m.