SHERBROOKE – Fifth-year senior Edith Noblecilla (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Santo Domingo de Guzmain) scored 19, 10 of which came in the first quarter to pace the Bishop's Gaiters women's basketball team to a 78-61 victory over the UQAM Citadins in the RSEQ University women's basketball opener on Saturday night in Lennoxville.
 
Noblecilla got off to a roaring start leading Bishop's to a 17-7 first quarter advantage.  She was 4-8 from the floor including 1-2 from three-point range and controlled the pace of the game.
 
The Citadins responded on the back of four-time RSEQ first-team all-star and former player of the year Jessica Lubin. After going 1-8 in the first stanza she responded by scoring eight second quarter points and grabbing four boards. UQAM outscored Bishop's 22-14 and cut the Gaiters advantage to just 31-29 at the break.
 
Mara Marchizotti (Buenos Aires, Argentina/) established her presence after the break shooting a perfect 5-5 from the floor in the second half to finish with 16 points to go along with her eight rebounds. A number of her baskets were timely to sway the momentum in Bishop's favour.
 
Bishop's won the third quarter 20-16 then closed out the game with a dominant 27-16 performance in the fourth frame.
 
Noblecilla finished with seven assists five rebounds and three steals to go along with her 19 points. Marchizotti grabbed eight rebounds, blocked three shots to complete her stat line. 
 
Ashley Milhomme (Repentigny, Que./Collège Montmorency) scored 14, and Maude Archambault (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que./Collège Montmorency) added 11 to round out the Gaiters in double figures. 
 
Rookie Marie-Evrardine Berrouette (Montreal, Que./Dawson College) made a big impression on the 360 Mitchell Gym faithful.  She grabbed 14 rebounds, scored nine points and had three steals and played tough against her taller counterparts.
 
Lubin on the day finished with a double-double 14 points on 6-25 shooting and grabbed 15 rebounds.
 
Bishop's (1-0) wins their season opener for the first time since 2011 and prepares to play Concordia next in their season opener on Thursday night.
 
Stay up to date anytime with the Bishop's Gaiters at www.gaiters.ca or on social media using @BishopsGaiters.
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