Senior Erin Lindahl and sophomore Anna Arato combined for 31 points in leading the Emory women's basketball team to a season-opening win at Piedmont College. The Eagles raised the program's all-time record in season openers to 21-11 following a decisive 84-67 decision over the Lions who slipped to 1-2.
Lindahl totaled 16 points, hitting five-of-six from the floor and three-of-four from both three-point range and charity stripe in notching her 39th career game of double-figure scoring. Arato, making her first career start, dialed up 15 points (13 in the first half) in 24 minutes of action, sinking six-of-12 field goal attempts including a pair from beyond the arc. Arato also tied for second on the club with five rebounds and added a pair of assists and one steal. Sophomore Tori Huggins, another first-time starter, came through with a double-double, tallying 13 points while snatching a game-high 14 rebounds, both of which represented personal bests. Senior Allison Chernow rounded out the team's double-digit point producers with 12 points and picked up five boards, a team-high five assists and three steals.
Emory closed out the contest successful on 50.8 percent (32-of-63) of its field goal attempts compared to Piedmont's mark of 37.3 percent (25-of-67). The Eagles knocked eight-of-17 from distance (47.1 percent) with the Lions finishing at 40 percent, hitting six in 15 tries.
Emory outpointed Piedmont by a 23-9 margin in the third quarter, part of which saw the Eagles go on a 15-0 tear, extending an eight-point lead at the start of frame to 22, 71-49, by the time it had concluded. The Eagles were successful on 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from the field while limiting PC to 21.4 percent (3-of-14). Six different players found their way into the scoring column in the telling stanza highlighted by junior Blair Ripley accounting for seven of her nine points.
Behind 13 points from Arato and 10 apiece by Lindahl and Huggins, the Eagles took a 48-40 edge into the locker room at halftime. The Eagles shot the ball well over the opening two quarters, converting 52.9 percent (18-of-34) from the floor including a keen 60 percent (6-of-10) from beyond the arc. Holding a one-point edge late in the first stanza, Emory rattled off 12 unanswered points, five coming from Chernow and four by Huggins to take a 26-13 lead with 1:01 on the clock. Emory finished the quarter up 28-15 (tying the program's sixth-highest point total for a quarter) and would take its biggest lead of the half when Molly Weiss drained a three-pointer to open the second frame. Emory weathered a 10-0 Piedmont charge that cut Emory's lead to three points with 6:23 left in the half. Ahead, 35-32, a bucket by Chernow followed by a triple by Arato extended the Eagles' lead to 40-32. Arato's three-point play with 3:11 left boosted the Eagles to a 43-34 cushion before the Lions eventually closed to within five with 1:48 remaining. A layup by Lindsey Tse and a charity toss by Chernow closed out the scoring for the half.
Emory returns to action on Friday (Nov. 15) when it opens its Tip-Off Classic with a contest against the University of Lynchburg starting at 6:00 pm. Because of volleyball hosting the NCAA Atlanta Regional, this year's Tip-Off Classic will be played at Agnes Scott.