WORCESTER, Mass.— The Holy Cross women's basketball team fell to the Northeastern Huskies, 71-45, on Wednesday evening at the Hart Center. The Crusaders open the season at 0-1, while the Huskies start at 1-0.

Senior classmates Oluchi Ezemma and Avery LaBarbera led the Crusaders with 12 points each. Ezemma and LaBarbera each came close to a double-double tallying eight and seven rebounds, respectively. Four of Ezemma's rebounds came on the offensive end and she also posted a team-high four steals.

Northeastern was paced by Donna Ntambue who tallied 19 points and Claudia Soriano who posted 12 points and six assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Northeastern jumped out to a 9-0 lead, prompting a Holy Cross timeout. The Huskies then took a 17-9 lead into the end of the first quarter.
• The Crusaders went on an 8-4 run and managed to pull within seven to at the end of the first half.
• The Huskies once again opened the quarter on a 9-0 run, before Ezemma scored with 7:14 left in the third. The Crusaders and Huskies then traded blows, each finishing out the quarter with nine more points. Sophomore Bronagh Power-Cassidy had a big block on Emily Calabrese to end the quarter, but the Huskies took 48-34 lead into the final frame.
• The Huskies closed out the game in the fourth quarter with a 71-45 victory.

BEYOND THE BOX:

• Sophomore Steph Davis and freshman classmates Grace Munt and Lindsay Berger all scored their first points as Crusaders against Northeastern.
• Ezemma's four steals tie a career-high.

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders will travel to Boston College on Saturday, Nov. 13 for a 1 p.m. tip.