CAZENOVIA, N.Y. - The Gallaudet University women's basketball team dropped its North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) opener here Saturday to Cazenovia College, 83-69

Gallaudet (1-5, 0-1 NEAC) jumped out to an early lead over Cazenovia (3-5, 1-0 NEAC) as the Bison led for the majority of the first quarter. The visitors led 20-15 after the first 10 minutes of play. The Wildcats came back in the second quarter and took a 34-29 lead into halftime. 

Cazenovia outscored Gallaudet 16-4 to begin the third quarter, five minutes in, and finished the quarter up 64-42. 

GU began a comeback late in the fourth quarter as it outscored Cazenovia, 27-19, but ran out of time. Gallaudet scored the game's final eight points over the final 39 seconds.

Four of Gallaudet's starters finished with 11 or more points led by freshman forward Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.), who finished with a double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds). Junior guard Kendall Hudson (Blissfield, Mich.) tallied 14 points and six rebounds while fellow junior guard Emelia Beldon (Frederick, Md.) added 12 points, five assists, four steals and two boards. Freshman Sunita Schmidjorg (Austin, Texas) was the fourth Bison in double-digits with 11 points, eight assists and four steals.

Cazenovia was paced by Danielle Caivana and Alexis Tubbs (11 rebounds) who scored 23 and 22 points, respectively. Amy Holland added 17 points in the win.

BISON TRACKS

• Freshman Rajena Guettler (Frederick, Md.) led the GU bench with six points and five rebounds
• GU held a 44-42 edge in rebounds
• Cazenovia shots 57.4 percent from the field
• GU scored 17 points off 16 Wildcats' turnovers

UP NEXT
Gallaudet returns to the nation's capital and will make the short trip to The Catholic University of America (7-1) next Saturday, Dec. 14, for a 4 p.m. non-conference game.