WILKES-BARRE, PA (December 1, 2021) -- Senior Samantha Rajza tied her career-high of 31 points to lead all scorers in the King's College women's basketball's Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) opener. The Monarchs defeated the visiting Misericordia University Cougars, 79-61, in McGrane Gymnasium on Wednesday night. King's improves to 4-3 overall, 1-0 in the MAC Freedom, while Misericordia falls to 3-4 overall, 0-1 in MAC Freedom play.

The Monarchs came out firing in front of an electric home crowd as junior Emily Morano hit a three on the opening possession of the game. It was a back-and-forth effort throughout the opening period, as neither team led by more than three points with King's holding a 16-13 advantage at the end of the first.

King's turned up the defensive intensity in the second, holding the Cougars to just nine second-quarter points. A steal from sophomore Kiersten Krouse led to a transition layup from Rajza, and the Monarchs controlled the quarter from there. King's led by as much as 14 points from a Rajza layup off a steal from first year Alli Lindsay with 47 seconds to go in the half, posting the 34-22 halftime score.

The second half started out just as the first with a three from Morano to put the Monarchs up, 37-22. King's continued to roll offensively, leading by as much as 20 points off a layup from Rajza with 2:55 to go in the third, before finishing the third quarter of play up 56-37.

Misericordia chipped away at the King's lead, closing with 14 with 3:51 to play, but Rajza answered with a three. The Cougars were forced to foul down the stretch, and King's went 3-for-4 from the charity stripe to secure the 79-61 win in the MAC Freedom opener.

Rajza's 31 points marks the third time she has hit the total in her career, shooting 12-of-24 from the floor and adding two blocks. Morano tallied 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting with six boards, two assists, a block, and a steal, while junior Sarah Heiskell-Mann had a career-high nine points with a team-high seven boards, adding two assists and a steal. Lindsay and sophomore Caileigh Costello both came off the bench to add five boards and two steals, while senior Emily Kriston dished out a team-high six assists.

Elizabeth Fasti led the Cougars off the bench with 10 points, Gianna Delfino totaled seven boards, and Skylar Dowling recorded five assists.

King's shot an impressive 41.2 percent (28-68) from the floor, handing out 16 dimes on their 28 field goals. The defense also held the Cougars to 36.1 percent shooting, including 15 percent (3-20) from beyond the arc, and forced 21 Misericordia turnovers. Inside the box score, the Monarchs held the advantage in points off turnovers (18-7), second chance points (16-14), points in the paint (36-30), and fast break points (5-0).

The Monarchs will be off for finals week and will return to the court on Tuesday, December 14 as they host the Blue Jays of Elizabethtown College in non-conference play in McGrane Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.