The Eagles start the season 0-1, while Holy Cross improves to 1-0.
Daniele Paunksnyte led the Eagles with 13 points, a game-high 14 rebounds and four steals. She did much of her damage at the free-throw line, shooting 6-of-8. Jocelyne Grier also finished with 13 points, while Eunicia Salgado rounded out the Eagles in double figures with 10.
The two sides went back and forth throughout the first half, with neither team leading by more than four points. Holy Cross took a 13-9 lead with 3:15 left in the first quarter before Athena Tomlinson sparked a 6-0 run. Megan Hollingsworth capped the run with a layup to give the Eagles a 15-13 advantage heading into the second.
BC closed the first half with another strong stretch, scoring seven straight points after falling behind 28-24. Nuria Ausaverri started the run before Salgado knocked down a 3-pointer and Grier hit a jumper with just over a minute remaining. The Eagles held Holy Cross scoreless over the final 2:36 and forced the Crusaders to miss their final four shots of the half.
Holy Cross took control in the third, outscoring BC by nine in the period to carry a 45-38 lead into the fourth. The Crusaders extended their advantage to as many as 14 before the Eagles made a late push. A Salgado layup cut the deficit to eight, but Holy Cross held on for the 64-54 win.
The Eagles return to action Thursday when they make the short trip to face Harvard at 7 p.m.
Tip-Ins
- Paunksnyte scored all 13 of her points in the second half.
- The 14 rebounds for Paunksnyte are the most by a freshman since Makayla Dickens had 16 in the 2018-19 season.
- Paunksnyte is the first BC freshman since Stefanie Murphy in 2007-08 to post a double-double within her first three collegiate games.
- It’s the fourth straight game in double figures for Grier dating back to last season.
