(San Francisco) - The University of San Francisco women's basketball team opened the Jennifer Azzi era Friday with a 61-34 victory against Sonoma State in exhibition play at War Memorial Gym. Sophomore Ashley Boggs highlighted the contest for the Dons, finishing with 18 points, 13 in the opening half.
First year head coach Azzi and USF will open the regular season Friday, November 12, hosting UC Davis.
Boggs was on fire from the field throughout the contest, going 7-for-14 from the field, including four baskets from beyond the arc.
Tied 6-6 early in the contest, neither team was able to break the knot for nearly five minutes. San Francisco broke the tie at 13:23 thanks to a long jumper by Boggs, opening a 17-3 run. During the span, Sonoma State was held scoreless for just over seven minutes. Eleven of the 17 USF points during the run were scored by Boggs.
The Seawolves mounted a small rally late in the opening half but fell short as the Dons took a 33-14 lead into halftime.
USF continued its strong play in the second half, going up by as many as 29 points – its largest lead of the game.
The Dons played all of its active players in the game, with all recording a stat in the book. The game included the debut of two newcomers to the Hilltop, Kelly Jo Mullaney and Savannah Erskine. Mullaney earned a start, registering five points, four rebounds, two steals and a block. Eskine saw time off the bench, dishing out one assist.
San Francisco's defense shutdown Sonoma State as it held the Seawolves to a 19.3 shooting percentage from the field. Donnisha Taylor paced the defense with 14 rebounds, as the team collectively pulled down 53. Bailey Barbour also posted a strong defensively showing for USF, recording three blocks with six boards and a steal.
Taylor finished the night with a double-double, adding 11 points to her rebounds. Joining Taylor and Boggs with a double-digit scoring effort was Rheina Ale with 11 points.
Sonoma State was led by Aly Conway, who finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
The game was the first of the coaching career for Azzi, who was named the eighth head coach in program history last spring. The 2009 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee brings an unprecedented wealth of experience to the Hilltop. She played five seasons in the WNBA, was a founding member of the American Basketball League (ABL), played overseas and enjoyed an All-American collegiate career at Stanford. Internationally, Azzi was a member of the USA Basketball Senior National Team from 1990-91 and 1993-98. A key member of the United States gold medal-winning 1996 Olympic Team that concluded a perfect 60-0 season with an 8-0 record during the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Azzi played on 13 USA National Teams, compiling a mark of 114-14. She also medaled three times at the World Championships, claiming gold in 1998 and 1990, while earning a bronze in 1994.
San Francisco takes to the court again for the season opener next Friday. The game will serve as a season-opening double-header for both USF basketball programs. The women will kick off the event at 5:30 hosting the Aggies, while the men will close the twin bill at 7 p.m. against Seattle.
