NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It was opening night and the start of a new era for the Kennesaw State women's basketball program as it opened its 2016-17 season against Vanderbilt Friday (Nov. 11) at the Memorial Coliseum in Nashville, Tenn.
The Owls (0-1) debuted under first-year head coach
Agnus Berenato and despite playing with effort and passion, were unable to keep pace with the Commodores (1-0) and fell, 86-54.
Junior guard
Clara Young and
Allison Johnson led KSU with 15 points apiece, while Vanderbilt's Rebekah Dahlman scored a game-high 19 points.
"I am really proud of the team. We played a very, very good Vanderbilt team and we never gave up," Berenato said. "We played better in the second half than the first half, and I was proud of the effort. It was a great learning experience and I was happy to have the opportunity to play a team of Vanderbilt's caliber."
After
Kelly Dulkoski opened the game with a 3-pointer, Kennesaw State suffered a tough break when freshman
Carlotta Gianolla left the game with an injury less than two minutes into the first quarter and did not return.
The Commodores took advantage of the Owls' misfortune, finishing the game shooting 47.0 percent from the field, including 50 percent (6-for-12) from behind the 3-point arc.
The Owls, who shot 26.9 percent from the field for the game, were able to take 67 shots and Berenato said she was pleased with that number and their 44.4 percent (8-for-18) shooting from the 3-point line. She added that it is just a matter of the team making those shots, especially when they have scoring chances in the paint.
Vanderbilt shot 45 percent from the field and limited Kennesaw State to 21 percent shooting in the first half and led 42-20 at the half. The Owls, who were held without a field goal for the final 4:56 of the second quarter, finished the game shooting 26.9 percent from the field.
The Owls were much more competitive after halftime as the two teams played to a 44-34 score in the second half, with Johnson scoring 11 of her 15 points during the final 20 minutes.
"It was tough to see Carlotta get hurt, but the team regrouped and continued to play hard," Berenato said. "We have some things to work on. We will regroup and get ready for Jacksonville State on Monday night, and are really looking forward to coming home and playing in the Nest."
UP NEXT
Kennesaw State returns to action on Monday (Nov. 14) when it hosts Jacksonville State in its home-opener at the KSU Convocation Center.Tip-off is 4:30 p.m. (ET).
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's basketball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook. Follow Coach Berenato on Twitter @KSUCoachB.
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