ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Gallaudet University women's basketball team dropped its first game of the 2011-12 season here Friday evening against nationally ranked Lebanon Valley College in the opening day of the Rinso Marquette Tournament hosted by the Dutchmen.

Gallaudet (0-1) scored the first points of the game 39 seconds in, a three-pointer from sophomore guard Stephanie Weiss (Wellington, Fla.) her only points in the game, but that lead was short lived as LVC (2-0) went on an 11-0 run and took a 30-13 lead into halftime.

The Bison played better in the second half as they were only outscored by seven points, 29-22, against the No. 12 ranked team in Division III according to the pre-season coaches' poll. LVC is ranked No. 9 in the pre-season D3hoops.com media poll.

The game marked the start of a new era as Coach Brendan Stern made his debut as the team's new head coach replacing Kevin Cook after three years.

Sophomore guard Britny Latham (Cleveland, Tenn.) led all Bison with 10 points, three steals and three rebounds. Freshmen Arlene Ngalle (Washington, D.C.) and Bianca Richards-Hamilton (Mesa, Ariz.) added five points apiece in their collegiate debuts. Six different Bison had three rebounds but it wasn't enough as the Dutchmen outrebounded the Bison 47-29.

LVC sophomore guard Caitlin Bach scored a game-high 17 points and added nine rebounds. The Dutchmen made 75 percent of their free throws (15-for-20) and shot 38 percent from the field. Gallaudet shot 30 percent from the field and struggled at the line making 4-of-9 attempts (44 percent).

It was last year's overtime upset win by Gallaudet over then No. 17 Lebanon Valley, in the GU Holiday Tournament championship game that the Bison won 80-69, that helped jumpstart GU's 20-game win streak and place them on the national map. LVC only lost three times last year and advanced to the NCAA tournament second round.

The Bison will play tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 18) at 1 p.m. in the consolation game and face the loser between Penn St.-Harrisburg and Pitt-Bradford, who played the second game on Friday night.