WASHINGTON, D.C. – Freshman forward Elena Ciccarelli (Whitesboro, N.Y.) set the tone early for the Gallaudet University women's basketball team on the road Saturday against cross-town rival Trinity (D.C.) University. Ciccarelli scored eight of the first nine points for the Bison in the opening minutes as the Bison took a quick lead. Gallaudet went into halftime with a 30-28 advantage, only to be outscored 39-23 in the second half as the Buff and Blue lost 67-53.

Ciccarelli finished with a career-high 22 points and 11 rebounds, her second collegiate double-double, as she made 8 of 9 shots from the field and was 6-for-9 from the free-throw line. The freshman scored 13 points in the first half. Sophomore guard Britny Latham (Cleveland, Tenn.) provided some much needed outside shooting as she sank 4 of 7 shots from 3-point range and finished with 14 points and two steals. Latham tied the game at 28 with 33 seconds left in the first half before hitting a jumper before the buzzer as GU led by two, 30-28, at the half.

Gallaudet (1-5) came undone by turnovers (38 total) which led to 36 points for the Tigers (4-1). Trinity made 13 turnovers of its own but Gallaudet only scored three points off those opportunities. The Tigers were also aggressive on defense as they made 22 steals. Trinity outscored the Bison 30-14 in the paint and received 25 points from its bench compared to the four points chipped in from Gallaudet's bench.

Christa Burgess had a huge second half for the Tigers as she scored 15 of her 19 points and made five of six rebounds in the final 20 minutes of play. Burgess also finished with a team-high nine steals (five in the second half). Trinity had four players, including Burgess, reach double figures in the win. Kevia Brown tallied 11 points while Shelby Swann and Stefonie Kelly each scored 10 apiece. Thamar Polynice had a solid game as she recorded six points, six assists, seven steals and two rebounds.

Gallaudet starting forward Amy Bachtel (Columbus, Ohio) added six points and five rebounds in the loss. The seven other Bison that saw action in the game scored four or less points. GU finished with a 48.7 shooting percentage from the field, 12 points higher than Trinity's mark of 36.8 percent. The Tigers used a 17-2 run midway through the second half, spanning seven minutes, to break open a tied game of 38.

The Bison will hit the road Monday, Dec. 5, for another non-conference game at Christendom College in Front Royal, Va., with the game slated to tip at 7 p.m.