BALTIMORE – The Navy women's basketball team began its 2018-19 Patriot League season with a strong road victory over Loyola on Wednesday afternoon. Tied early 2-2, the Mids (6-5, 1-0 PL) broke open the game in the first quarter and eventually took a 33-19 lead into halftime on their way to the win over the Greyhounds (1-11, 0-1 PL). Navy was clicking on both sides of the ball at Reitz Arena as they shot 42.6 percent for the game, while defensively holding Loyola to 27.6 percent from the floor.
 
Jennifer Coleman (Fr., Richmond, Va.) and Sophie Gatzounas (So., South Hadley, Mass.) spearheaded Navy's attack as the duo combined for 32 points and 22 rebounds. Individually, Coleman went for 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes of action, while Gatzounas backed up her teammate with 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 33 minutes.
 
"For a 12 o'clock tip our women came out really focused and ready to go," remarked head coach Stefanie Pemper. "They executed the game plan really well. The third quarter was the difference in the game, Loyola can be a good third quarter team; that's when they got their lead at Monmouth and didn't relinquish it. For us to come out and extend our lead in the third quarter today was awesome.
 
"We moved the ball pretty well on offense against the zone so we were able to get some good shots. We also got some high percentage shots in transition."
 
The action in the first quarter opened fairly equal and close over the first seven minutes as the Mids held a one-to-two possession lead throughout most of the play. With the scoreboard showing Navy up 8-6, a pull-up three-point from the top of the floor by Laurel Jaunich (Jr., Charlotte, Vt.) at 2:10 sparked an 8-2 run to conclude the period. The ensuing two possessions for the Mids saw Coleman make a layup and Gatzounas sink a three-pointer. That trey by Gatzounas gave her seven points for the quarter.
 
Coming out in the second quarter with the score 16-8 in favor of Navy, both teams struggled to find their shot in the second period as Navy opened 1-3 over the first 5:05, while Loyola was 2-7. Immediately following the under-five media timeout, the Mids registered two high-percentage shots in the paint as Jaunich and Coleman converted back-to-back layups to increase Navy's lead out to 22-12 at 4:04. The Mids continued finding space in the paint as Coleman and Morgan Taylor (Jr., Evans, Ga.) made it four makes in four possessions giving Navy a 12-point lead of 26-14. A brief 5-0 run by Loyola was quickly answered by Navy with seven points over the last 80 seconds as Kolbi Green (Fr., Woodstock, Md.) found the bottom of the net with a three-pointer and a layup before Jaunich made a fast break layup just before the buzzer.
 
On the strength of 53.6 percent (15-28) shooting, the Mids went into the locker room up 33-19. Navy's attack was well-balanced as four players had five or more points: Coleman (8), Jaunich (7), Gatzounas (7) and Green (5).
 
Navy kept its foot on the pedal as the team immediately came out of halftime and netted 10 points in the first three minutes. Three-pointers by Coleman and Taylor were highlights of this span as the Mids expanded their lead out to a then- game-high 19 points at 43-24 by the 7:01 mark. The game continued at a 16-21-point margin for the entirety of the period. The quarter featured Navy shooting 42.9 percent (6-14) from the field and sinking three of four three-pointers. 
 
Up 50-31 going into the final period of play, Navy's pace slowed down a bit and Loyola was able to take advantage as the hosts shrunk their deficit to just 10 points at 56-46 with 39 seconds remaining. A pair of free three throws by Gatzounas down the stretch closed the game with a final score of 58-46.
 
For the game, Navy outshot Loyola, 42.6 percent (23-54) to 27.9 (19-68). The Mids also outshot the Greyhounds from three-point range, 46.2 percent (6-13) to 26.3 (5-19), and at the foul line, 66.7 percent (6-9) to 50.0 (3-6). That field goal percentage was the second-best shooting effort of the season for the Mids, while defensively, that was the team's second-lowest opponent field goal percentage. 
 
"Every team has a game plan going into league play and we really executed ours well today," said Pemper of the Mids' defensive effort. "They had a few players not shoot as well as they normally do so that benefitted us too."
 
For the second consecutive contest, Navy dominated the battle of the boards as the team corralled nine more rebounds than Loyola, 44-35. Coleman and Gatzounas led the Mids' effort with totals of 13 and nine rebounds, respectively. The double-double was Coleman's third of the season.
 
"Jennifer played well," remarked Pemper. "She sees the floor well and she likes to run in-transition. She rebounded well today, as part of another strong rebounding day of us; we're not the tallest team so that's always an important stat to win.
 
"Jennifer and Sophie are obviously the two that lead us in scoring this year and they did it again today. To come out in our first league game against an opponent that knows us, I thought they competed really well. Sophie was all over rebounds and loose balls; she made some smart reads on defense. I thought Morgan and Bianca [Roach] were good defensively for us. Morgan did a nice job of staying out of foul trouble."
 
Navy will continue early-season Patriot League action on Sunday with a home conference tilt versus Lehigh. The Mids and Mountain Hawks will tip-off at 3:30 p.m. as part of a men's-women's basketball doubleheader at Alumni Hall.