WILKES-BARRE – Head coach Tara Macciocco earned her first victory at Wilkes University as the women's basketball team picked up a 93-73 non-conference victory over visiting Penn State Hazleton at the Marts Center Saturday night.

Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove) scored a career high 18 points in just 18 minutes of action and Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) finished with her second double-double in as many games with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Giordano also led Wilkes with seven assists.

The victory in the home opener for Wilkes moved the Colonels record to 1-1 on the season while Penn State Hazleton dropped to 1-1.

The Colonels trailed 11-8 at the 6:13 mark of the first quarter but six-straight points capped by a layup from Gianna Roberts (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) off a pass from Vanessa Whitecavage (Shenandoah, PA/Marian Catholic) gave Wilkes a 14-11 lead with 4:19 to play in the frame. Two layups by Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) in the final minute pushed the Colonels advantage to 25-13 at the end of the first 10 minutes of play.

A Giordano three stretched the Wilkes lead to 17 points at 32-15 just over two minutes into the second quarter. The Lady Lions cut the lead down to 11 points but the Colonels closed the second quarter strong after Kayla Aufiero (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) made a layup on the fast break with an assist from Giordano with 39 seconds left and Whitecavage drilled a three-pointer with 16 seconds left to send Wilkes into halftime with a 49-29 lead.

The lead grew to 25 points at 59-34 when Caster converted down low with 5:57 left in the third quarter. Another Caster bucket gave Wilkes a 69-41 lead and the Colonels kept that 28-point advantage at the end of the 10-minute period when Kelley made a jumper with 12 seconds left to make the score 71-43.

Hazleton cut the deficit down to 15 points with 5:51 remaining in the fourth on a Lauren Pataki three. Wilkes answered with the next eight points to stop the run with two-point baskets by Sierra Smith (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee), Stef Kramer (Dushore, PA/Sullivan County), Alyssa Alfano (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross) and Aufiero. From there the lead never slipped below 18 points over the final three minutes of action.

Joining Caster and Giordano in double figures scoring was Kelley with 10 points. Alfano added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists. Roberts finished with nine points, five rebounds and three blocks. Whitevcavage contributed five points and five assists while Jordan Harrison (Hunlock Creek, PA/Northwest Area) added four points and seven rebounds. Carolee Pierce (Sidney, NY/Sidney) and Kramer each scored six points.

McKenzie Prutsman scored 36 points to lead Hazleton and Pataki added 21 points.

The Colonels led in rebounding 59-34 including grabbing 18 offensive boards and converting 16 second chance points to just four for the Lady Lions. Wilkes shot and even 50 percent for the game on 41-of-82 shooting while holding Hazleton to 34.3 percent from the floor on 23-of-67 shooting.

Wilkes remains home for its next game on Tuesday night when Susquehanna University will visit the Marts Center for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff.