DEFENSE LEADS SAXONS PAST EXPRESS

(Aurora, N.Y.)─ The Alfred University women's basketball team used a suffocating defense to defeat the Wells College Express 78-47 in women's basketball action Thursday evening in Aurora. Alfred improves to 7-8 on the season while the Express fall to 2-14 with the loss.
 
Ashley Roser (Taberg, N.Y./Camden) finished with a team high 22 points and 13 rebounds and Kristen Ryan (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) chipped in with 11 points to lead the Express scorers.
 
Lyndsay Murphy (Almond, N.Y./Hornell) paced the Saxons with a game high 26 points. Christina Jordan (Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, N.Y./Cornwall) added 11 points and five rebounds, while Grace Williamson (Olean, N.Y./Olean) chipped in with seven points and six rebounds.
 
Wells finished 36.2 percent from the floor but finished just 13 of 24 from the free-throw line. Alfred shot 40 percent from the field but hoisted up 24 3-pointers, hitting on nine.
The Saxons defense forced 31 Express turnovers, finished with 19 steals, and held the advantage on the boards 45-38.
 
The Saxons rushed out to a 12-2 lead early but four straight points by Ryan would spark the Express on a 16-5 run that would see them take a one point lead (18-17) mid-way through the first half. The Saxons began to pull away late in the first half, going on a 10-0 run that would lead to a 40-26 half-time lead.
 
Alfred continued to dominate defensively in the second half and the Express would be unable to answer as the Saxons cruised to victory.
 
The Express return to action Saturday when they take on North Eastern Athletic Conference rival Cazenovia College at 1 p.m. in Aurora.