LOUDONVILLE, NY — Siena Women's Basketball opened its season with a commanding 97-47 exhibition victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at the UHY Center on Tuesday night. This game marked the first meeting between these Capital Region foes since the 1978-79 finale. The Saints capitalized on turnovers, scoring 40 points off the Engineers' 29 giveaways, with 23 of those points coming from 17 Engineer turnovers in the first half.
 
Freshman Francesca Schiro led all scorers with 18 points, adding three steals and four assists. Notably, she opened the third quarter on 5-6 shooting from the field, scoring each of Siena's first 11 points of the quarter. Schiro finished with 15 of the team's 24 total points in the third. Nicole Melious followed with 17 points in the game, highlighted by five three-pointers, while also collecting five steals and five assists. Jamariah Turner contributed 16 points, including four three-pointers, and recorded two steals. Kaiya Rain Tucker added 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds alongside two steals.
 
Siena held RPI to 20% shooting in the first quarter (3-15) and as the quarter progressed, the Saints continued to capitalize on turnovers. Turner hit back-to-back three-pointers, including one at the buzzer to solidify their advantage. The quarter ended with Siena leading 19-9.
 
Siena utilized a series of turnovers and fast breaks to establish a commanding lead in the second quarter. A pivotal moment occurred when Tucker secured an offensive rebound and converted it into a layup early in the quarter. This was followed by a string of three-pointers, including one by Melious at 6:12, which extended Siena's lead. The Engineers' attempts to close the gap were stymied by Siena's defensive pressure, resulting in multiple turnovers. The quarter concluded with Siena leading 43-20, having outscored the Engineers 24-11.
 
Siena maintained its momentum in the third quarter, highlighted by Schiro's offensive contributions. Schiro scored three crucial 3-pointers, including back-to-back shots at 8:36 and 8:05, extending Siena's lead.
 
The Engineers struggled to counter Siena's run, managing only eight points in the quarter. Siena's defense limited the Engineers' scoring opportunities, forcing six turnovers. The quarter concluded with Siena leading 67-28, securing a decisive victory as the game ended.
 
Siena excelled in the fourth quarter, starting with a 3-pointer by Tucker at 9:13, extending their lead to 70-28. They maintained momentum through strong defense, highlighted by Genevive Wedemeyer's steal and assist leading to a fast-break layup by Turner at 8:34, widening the gap further, before Siena secured a decisive victory with a final score of 97-47.
 
Siena will host Colgate on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m. at UHY Center to open the 2025-26 season. Secure your tickets to the season opener at sienasaints.com/wbbtickets.