FINAL SCORE
Yale (1-0) – 64
Monmouth (0-1) – 61
 
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – In a game that featured 10 lead changes and six ties, The Yale Bulldogs used a 26-point fourth quarter to comeback and defeat the Monmouth University Women's Basketball team, 64-61, on opening night of the 2024-25 season at the John J. Lee Amphitheater on Monday.

Transfer guard Damaris Rodriguez paced the Hawks offense with 14 points in the loss, and fifth year forward Taisha Exanor joined her in double digits with 10.
 
Monmouth led by as many as 10 points in the first half behind junior Ella Farrelly's nine first half points which included a tone-setting and-one conversion 4:08 into the contest. Another transfer guard, Dayshawna Carter gave the Hawks a spark with four points and a block playing a full 10 minutes in the second quarter. Carter netted back-to-back buckets in the final minute of the frame as Monmouth carried a 28-20 lead into the half.

Divine Dibula led the Hawks with six points and five rebounds in the third quarter, with graduate center Belle Kranbuhl collecting her two blocks.
 
The Hawks would hold a seven-point lead going into the final frame, but Yale used a 13-2 run early in the fourth to take a 50-49 lead, their first since leading 15-13 in the second frame. Jaye Haynes drove for a layup with 5:01 remaining to Monmouth back in front, 55-54, and after a Yale score, Rodriguez and Exanor each registered a basket to put the Hawks up 59-56 with 2:35 remaining. Yale would claw their way back in front late, with an Exanor game-tying triple missing at the buzzer.
 
NOTES & QUOTE
"I am proud of our team's effort and togetherness during the ups and downs of this first game. Our defensive lapses in the fourth really hurt us, and credit to Yale as they were able to capitalize at some pivotal moments. I know we will use this game as an opportunity to learn and grow." – Head Coach Cait Wetmore

- The Hawks were held 0-of-11 from beyond the arc. The last time MU was held without a three was Feb. 1, 2020, at Rider (L, 25-48).
- Yale improved to 3-0 all-time versus Monmouth.
- Three Hawks made their Monmouth debuts, which included Rodriguez, Kemari Reynolds, and Carter.
- Monmouth opened on the road for the sixth straight season.
- Farrelly tied a career high with four blocks.
- All eight Hawks that played finished with at least three points.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth was 15-of-23 from the free throw line – a 65.2% clip.
- Exanor led the Hawks with nine rebounds with eight coming on the defensive end.
- The Hawks outrebounded the Bulldogs, 44-41.
- Monmouth had more points in the paint, 44-38.
- Monmouth registered more second chance points, 17-8.
- Monmouth totaled more bench points than Yale, 17-14.
- Yale turned the ball over more times, 18-11.
- Each team had four fastbreak points.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks host Brown at the OceanFirst Bank Center on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on FloCollege.