The Fairfield University women's basketball team opened the 2008-09 season with a 69-49 victory over host UNC-Asheville on Friday afternoon.  It marks the second time in as many seasons that the Stags have won their season opening contest.

Team basketball was the story of the day for the Stags, as the team knocked down 28 baskets in the game with 20 assists.   The Stags also committed just 11 turnovers in the contest, while forcing 17 Bulldog miscues.  Fairfield also blocked 10 shots in the game.

"In the second half I think our team did a great job," said second-year head coach Joe Frager.  "One of the things that we have tried to preach is to be unselfish with the ball and we did that today.  That [UNC-Asheville] is a well coached team and I am very pleased."

The Stags took a 36-29 lead into the intermission as Ana Baker drained a 50-footer as the buzzer sounded to cut the lead back to single-digits for the Stags.  Baker would score the first hoop of the second half as well, to make it 36-31, but would not get any closer.

Fairfield had a 51-40 advantage with 8:59 left in the game, when Shireyll Moore and Baendu Lowenthal combined for an 8-0 run to build a 19-point advantage.  Moore knocked down a field goal, followed by a pair of free throws to start the run.  Lowenthal followed with back-to-back field goals.

Moore led all scorers, and tallied a career-high, with 20 points in the game.  She shot 7-10 from the field, including 3-5 from behind the arc.  The senior also added five assists, four rebounds and three steals in 29 minutes of play.  Lowenthal was also in double-figures, despite playing just 22 minutes, finishing with 16.  She added three boards and two steals.

Desiree Pina scored 12 points in her collegiate debut, all coming in the first half of play.  The rookie also had two assists.  Stephanie Geehan hauled in a team-high eight rebounds in the game, with four points and four blocks to her credit.

Megan Caskin led the team with six assists, as well as four rebounds and four points.  Taryn Johnson and Tara Flaherty both scored four points for the Stags, while Lauren Tucker had three points.

The Stags shot 50.9 percent from the field for the game, hitting 28-55.  They were good on 6-11 from behind the arc, 54.5 percent, and 7-12 at the charity stripe.  Asheville hit 20-60 from the field, 33.3 percent, and just 3-14 from behind the arc and 6-12 from the free throw line.

Morgan State defeated William and Mary 70-48 in the opening game of the four-team tournament.  The Stags will meet the Lady Bears at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the championship game.