CAMDEN, N.J. – The Wilkes University women's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season with a 83-54 loss at Rutgers-Camden on Wednesday night.

Alyssa Alfano (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross), Emily Sofranko (Jim Thorpe, PA/Marian Catholic), and Catey McFadden (Doylestown, PA/Archbishop Wood) all scored nine points for the Lady Colonels. McFadden was 2-of-5 on three-point attempts to move into a tie for ninth in program history with 66 made three-pointers.

Gianna Roberts (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and scored eight points. Nicole Farrell (Blairstown, NJ/North Warren) and McFadden each added eight rebounds in the game.

Wilkes took a 14-12 lead with 4:03 left in the first quarter on Sierra Smith (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee)'s layup. Rutgers-Camden would close the quarter on an eight-point run to lead 20-14 at the first break and would lead 42-27 at halftime.

The Lady Colonels finished the game by taking the fourth quarter by a 19-17 score and were 17-of-27 at the free throw line in the contest.

Farrell and Jamie Campbell (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) put in six points and Smith added four. Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) scored three points in nine minutes of action in her collegiate debut. Sofranko and Gabby Smicherko (Edwardsville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) led the Lady Colonels with three assists. It was Smicherko's collegiate debut as well.

Wilkes returns to the court and opens its home slate of games when it hosts the Cross County Challenge on Friday and Saturday in the Marts Center. The Lady Colonels face Marywood University at 8:00 p.m. Friday and No. 19/13 Scranton at 4:00 p.m. Saturday.