WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Senior Erica Lutz (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) delivered 17 points and 14 rebounds and sophomore Kenzie Reed (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) offered 11 points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks as the Lycoming College women's basketball team's forwards held the day in the season-opener, posting a 60-41 win over FDU-Florham in MAC Freedom action at Lamade Gym on Thursday night, Feb. 11.
 
In a game where the Warriors (1-0) won by 19 despite shooting just 35 percent from the floor and turning it over 19 times, the story wasn't so much about anything on the floor, but that the season had officially started.
 
"From a coach's perspective, we're happy our players can play," Lycoming's 28^th-year head coach Christen Ditzler said. "It's been a unique season. The fact that Lycoming had a plan in place to have a season is a major accomplishment and I am very happy about that."
 
Lutz posted the 22^nd double-double of her career by the end of the third quarter when she had 15 points and 11 rebounds, moving along into fifth in school history in the process.
 
"A couple months ago, we weren't sure if we would have a season," Lutz said. "This morning, it was all real and we got to get back on the court and got to show off all the hard work we've put in since the fall."
 
The Warriors started to separate with a run of seven straight points early in the second quarter to take a 22-12 lead after a free throw from sophomore Emily Zoscin (Weatherly, Pa./Weatherly Area) before leading by as many as 12 at 26-14 off an old-fashioned three-point play from freshman Jessica Shaver (Luzerne, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) with 5:11 left in the period before the Devils (0-1) cut the lead to eight at the break.
 
FDU-Florham continued to cut the lead down to four early in the third quarter before back-to-back buckets by Reed started a 12-0 run that ended with a 3-pointer from junior Allison Wagner (York, Pa./Central York) off a FDU turnover. The Devils didn't get the deficit to closer than 12 after that and the Warriors stretched the lead to 56-32 midway through the fourth before the Devils ended the game with a 9-4 run.
 
"It's nice to know that the hard work meant something in the end," Ditzler said. "We won't take anything for granted because of how quick something can happen that can change our ability to get games in. We're just happy we can play."
 
Lycoming held a 44-14 advantage in points in the paint, 12-7 in fast breaks and 16-10 in bench points, as the team used 14 players, with 10 finding the scoring column. Wagner finished with eight points, a career-high 10 rebounds and a career-high seven assists and senior Kelly Vuz (Blairstown, N.J./North Warren Regional) added seven points and two steals. Freshman Allison Butler (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) added six points and three rebounds, as Lycoming held a 58-42 advantage on the glass.
 
Jayda Bing led the Devils with 14 points, six rebounds and three steals and Arian Coleman added six points and nine rebounds.
 
The Warriors wrap up their home-and-home set with FDU-Florham by travelling to Madison, N.J. for a 7 p.m. game on Friday, Feb. 12.