Villanova opened up its 2022-23 season with a dominating 60-38 over win at Marist. 

Reigning Big East Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist led the team to the win, opening the season with a 21-point, 13-rebound outing. 

Coming off a commanding win over Jefferson in their exhibition game on November 2, the Wildcats traveled to McCann Arena to take on the Red Foxes. 

Play was slow to start in the first quarter, as senior guard Brooke Mullin opened up the scoring with a layup just shy of two minutes into play. As the women started to get into the groove, possession was back and forth, with the score never exceeding a three point differential. 

Down 17-15 heading into the second quarter, the Wildcats were able to secure their first lead of the game, going up 20-19 with a jumper from Mullin. With the lead, the ‘Cats started to pick up momentum, going up 37-29 by the end of the first half. 

The third quarter was a slow one, with Villanova making a total of five baskets. However, between their few layups and jumpers, the Wildcats were able to extend their lead to 49-33 by the end of the quarter, heading into the final frame of play with control over the ball and clear offensive dominance. 

In the final quarter, the Wildcats closed things out. Siegrist scored six of the team’s eleven points in the quarter, solidifying the team win as well as her dominating performance. 

For Siegrist, this season opener was a personal one, as she traveled back to her hometown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. for the game. She grew up very close to the Marist campus, where her father played basketball for the Red Foxes. 

Siegrist wasn’t alone in putting up points for the squad. As Wildcat’s second returning lead scorer, Lucy Olsen also has a title to live up to as the 2021-22 Big East Rookie of the Year. Against Marist, Olsen played 34 minutes, the most on the team, and put up eight points, six assists and nine rebounds during her time on the court. 

Also a contributor to the ‘Cats was sophomore forward Christina Dalce. Dalce put up 13 points and added a game-high 17 rebounds. 

Now with the first win under their belt, the Wildcats will look to continue their momentum as they keep rolling with the start of their season. 

The women’s next game is against the No. 24 Princeton Tigers, which also had a dominating first win of the season, topping Temple 67-49. The Wildcats will take on the Tigers in Jadwin Gymnasium on Friday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m.