NAPLES, Fla. – Suffolk women's basketball opened the Naples Shootout with a 66-34 setback to No. 4/6 Tufts Saturday afternoon at the Community School of Naples.  

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 34 | No. 4/6 Tufts 66
RECORDS: Suffolk (8-4) | No. 4/6 Tufts (10-0)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a tight opening as Suffolk hung with the national powerhouse through the first four minutes and even owned a 7-6 lead as Gabriella DeComo connected on a drive down the lane at the 6:37 minute mark. It was all Tufts from there as the Jumbos went on a 7-0 run to put the blue-and-gold in a 13-7 hole after the first 10 minutes.  

Tufts carried its momentum into the second stanza and took a 21-7 lead 3:15 into the action, forcing Ed Leyden to take a timeout. The Rams found their grove in the huddle with Jenni-Rose DiCecco ending the scoring draught with a lay-up. As Suffolk found its offense again, the Jumbos went on a scoring lull, which allowed the blue-and-gold to trim the margin to eight, 23-15, with 3:20 left in the first half.  

That's as close as Suffolk would get however, as the teams exchanged hoops the rest of the way and Tufts went into the locker room a 26-17 cushion. 

The Jumbos put the game away out of the intermission, outscoring the Rams, 22-5 in the third quarter to put Suffolk in a 48-22 hole.   

An even fourth frame proved to be not enough for the blue-and-gold to make up the 20-point deficit and the Jumbos locked up the 66-34 decision.  

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• DiCecco was the lone Ram to register double digit points with 11 to her credit. The floor general added five caroms three handouts, two blocks and one steal. 
• Rachel LaSaracina chipped in nine points off the bench, shooting 4-for-7 from the floor and grabbed a pair of caroms. 
• DeComo's eight-point performance came behind a 3-for-9 showing from the field.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Tufts renewed a rivalry, meeting for the first time since 2006. 
• LaSaracina had a career-high nine points with a personal-best four field goals made. 
• DiCecco matched a career-best two blocks. 
• Jordan Hipwell produced a personal-best in blocks with three swats.  

POST-GAME PIC

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk wraps up action at the Naples Shootout tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 30 when it takes on Saint Mary's at 1 p.m.