FREDERICK, Md. (Dec. 5, 2015) – Senior Brianna Wylie (Mount Laurel, N.J.) and sophomore Julia Venturelli (Bridgewater, N.J.) each scored in double figures as the Widener University women's basketball team cruised to a 71-44 victory against Hood in its conference opener on Saturday afternoon at BB&T Arena. The Pride led from wire-to-wire and have now won five straight games for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
 
Widener (5-1, 1-0 MAC Commonwealth) outscored Hood by a count of 22-3 in the first quarter and never looked back. After Venturelli opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, the Blazers got a layup from Alexis Andrukat to cut the deficit to 3-2 at the 8:15 mark and then failed to hit a field goal for nearly nine minutes. The Pride exploded offensively by netting 13 straight points, which included seeing Wylie net nine during the stretch, to take a 16-2 advantage and led by twin figures the rest of the way.
 
In the second quarter, Venturelli put the visitors once again put Widener on the scoreboard first to set the tone. Hood tried using the long ball to get back into the game and scored nine of their 13 points in the quarter from long range, but the Pride stayed hot from the field and got two free throws from Wylie in the final second to take a 42-16 lead into the recess.
 
Widener continued to play stifling defense in the third quarter with the benches beginning to clear and did not allow the hosts to convert a shot from the floor until Arianna Delerme drove in for a layup to make it 60-21 with 3:04 on the clock. The Pride limited the Blazers to just seven points and one field goal in the quarter and ballooned their lead to 42 points when freshman Emma Gardy (Warrington, Pa.) sank a layup, which provided more than enough insurance for the visitors to run away with the lopsided win.
 
Wylie led the way for Widener by contributing 16 points, eight rebounds and four steals in 21 minutes of action. She shot 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. Venturelli netted 13 points, while senior Ally Ferrucci (Vineland, N.J.) finished with nine points and seven assists. Senior Sarah Engman (Havertown, Pa.) and freshman Emily Hardy (Lewisberry, Pa.) each registered seven points and six boards off the bench.
 
Hood (3-5, 0-2 MAC Commonwealth), which was held to just 19 percent shooting from the field, was paced by Delerme. She had 10 points, three rebounds and two steals. Jasmine Webster had nine points in a reserve role.
 
Widener will look to win its sixth straight game when it visits Neumann on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7:00 p.m.