EASTON, Mass. - The Caldwell College women's basketball team opened its 2004-05 season with a loss to Assumption College 73-35 in the first game of the Stonehill College Tournament Friday evening at Stonehill's Merkert Gymnasium. The Cougars were led by freshman guard Phylicia Holmes (Roselle, NJ/Roselle), who scored 10 points in her first collegiate game.

The non-conference contest started slowly for both teams, which combined to miss eight shots before the first basket was made three minutes, 24 seconds after tip-off. Assumption (2-0) then went on an 8-0 run before a pair of baskets by Holmes and a three-pointer by sophomore guard Shannon Coyle (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) made it 8-7 with 10:50 left in the first half. It was all Greyhounds from that point on, as Assumption went on a 27-4 run to close out the half. Kristen DiCalogero scored eight points during the run, including a pair of threes, while Jess Paulson and Ashley Lambert has seven points each for the Greyhounds.

The second half was more of the same, with Caldwell never getting closer than 22 points, while trailing by as many as 43 points. Sophomore guard Jenn Murray (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) scored all of her five points in the second half for the Cougars, while Suzanne Jackson led Assumption with eight second-half points. The Greyhounds finished the game shooting 47.1 percent from the field, compared to 24.0 percent for Caldwell. Center Amanda Krawiec grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds as Assumption held a 53-29 advantage on the glass. Freshman forward Melissa Freeman (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) led the Cougars with four caroms. 

The Cougars return to action in the Stonehill College Tournament on Saturday afternoon when they play the host Chieftains at 4:00 p.m.