DANBURY, Conn. - The Western Connecticut State University Wolves lost a close game to the visiting University of Mount St. Vincent Dolphins in women's basketball action this evening at Feldman Arena.  WestConn falls to 0-2 with the loss in its home opener, while the game was the Dolphins' first of the campaign.  The Wolves, who received 13 points and nine rebounds from freshman Nia Rencher (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), will be back at home on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game against York College (N.Y.).

WestConn found themselves down, 10-2, early and, 19-6, with 2:34 left in the first quarter before Wolves rookie Xiomara Soto (Danbury, Conn.) started a 6-0 run with a three-pointer at the 2:26 mark.  The Dolphins scored the last four points of the first quarter and the first four of the second quarter to lead, 27-12, and maintained a double-digit lead for several minutes until Wolves freshman guard Andrea Moulton (Stafford Springs, Conn.) drilled a three-pointer with 1:58 left before halftime.  WestConn trailed, 35-27, at intermission and clawed its way back over the entirety of the third frame, as Soto tied the contest at 41-all with a trey from the left wing as time expired. 

In the fourth quarter, WestConn junior guard Malaysia Dingle (Brockton, Mass.) connected from long range with 4:27 on the clock to put the home team ahead, 49-47.  Kayla Hanley made a long ball and Julia Angeles followed with a drive to put Mount St. Joseph up, 55-50, with 1:23 remaining, but Wolves senior guard Nicole Peralta (North Windham, Conn.) made a three-pointer and Dingle made two free throws to keep the Wolves close to the end.  WestConn had a chance to tie at the end but a long triple by freshman guard Gianna Castellano (East Haven, Conn.) was off the mark as the horn went off.

Peralta matched Rencher with 13 points for the Wolves, while Dingle added 11 points and three steals.  Senior forward Alyssa Virtue (Groton, Conn.) grabbed nine boards and rookie Fatmata Barrie (Staten Island, N.Y.) had six rebounds, and Peralta and Castellano dished four assists apiece for WestConn.  Mount St. Joseph's Erin Smith led all scorers with 17 points to go with 14 rebounds and four steals.  JaKaia Lotz collected six points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Gretta Baker scored 13 points for the Dolphins. WestConn shot just 27 percent from the field and the teams combined to miss 25 of 56 free throws and commit 44 turnovers between them.