COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Albright spoiled the Ursinus College women's basketball home opener – and the Helfferich Hall debut of first-year head coach Margaret White – this evening, using a decided advantage on the interior to collect a 71-47 non-conference victory. Senior forward Caroline Shimrock (Lansdale, Pa./Gwynedd-Mercy Academy) netted a game-high 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including a four-point play less than a second before the halftime buzzer.
The teams were knotted twice, the last at 4-apiece after a jumper by senior guard Alyssa Polimeni (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston Regional) three minutes into the first quarter. But a three-pointer on the ensuing possession set Albright (3-0) on the right path. Ursinus (0-3) went ice cold for the rest of the first half, missing 20 of their next 22 shots and committing 10 turnovers, allowing the Lions to open up a 26-10 advantage before Shimrock caught fire.
The senior went off for nine points over the final 1:01, knocking down two free throws and a pair of treys on the Bears' final two possessions of the second quarter. The last was especially impressive, as Shimrock buried a deep triple from the left wing while being knocked down; she converted the four-point play with 0.9 ticks showing on the clock to send Ursinus into intermission with some momentum, down just 28-19.
The Bears got as close as seven on a basket inside by senior forward Jessica Porada (Morristown, N.J./Morris Catholic) that made it 33-26 at the 7:19 mark, and were still hanging around until a 12-4 spurt handed the Lions a 51-34 bulge with one quarter to play. Albright led by as many as 28 before settling on a 24-point triumph.
Senior center Kelecia Harris paired 16 points with eight rebounds for the Lions, who received 12 points and nine boards from sophomore guard Alysha Lofton. Albright registered a 43-30 advantage on the glass and racked up 54 points in the paint, helping the visitors shoot 53.6 percent for the night (30-of-56).
Shimrock scored her 17 points in just 19 minutes, making two of three from distance and draining all three of her free throws. Porada collected 14 points and eight rebounds, her final board lifting her past Mary Kate Daley (04-07) and into fifth on the program's all-time list (659). Senior frontcourt mate Elana Roadcloud (Roslyn, Pa./Springside School) finished with six points and eight caroms.
The Bears shot 26.6 percent from the field (17-of-64) and were 2-for-19 from three-point range (10.5%).
Ursinus has a week off before opening the Centennial Conference season by hosting a 6:00 p.m. clash with Swarthmore on Tuesday, November 24.