WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Graduate student Jada Lucas dropped a team-high 10 points while senior Sierra Smith added eight points and six rebounds as the Hartford women's basketball team dropped an 85-42 decision against Penn. The Hawks dip to 0-2 on the young season while the Quakers move to 1-0. 
 
PENN 85, HARTFORD 42
Penn, which led wire-to-wire, used a 16-0 run capped by a Kayla Padilla layup to open up a 16-0 lead with 3:50 left to go in the first quarter. Hartford would respond with a 5-0 run, featuring a stepback three-pointer by Lucas to close the gap to 11, but the Quakers continued their hot start, heading into the second quarter with a 30-9 advantage.
 
Penn continued to shoot the ball well, building a 29-point lead at 38-9 with 3:59 left in the second quarter. The Hawks looked to claw their way back into the game after a pair of free throws from Paula Maurina and a driving layup by Sierra Smith, but the Quakers would extend their lead and go into the halftime break up, 54-16. Penn continued to shoot lights-out from the floor, building a 49-point lead at 78-29 to enter the fourth quarter.
 
The Hawks would come alive in the fourth, going on a 9-0 run after back-to-back threes from Najla Cecunjanin, Abby Streeter and Lucas. The Hawks played outstanding defense in the final quarter, limiting the Quakers to only seven points on 3-of-17 shooting. The Quaker advantage would prove to be too much however as the Hawks fell 85-42.

INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

• Padilla led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting
• The Quakers held the Hawks to 22.1 percent shooting from the floor and 16.1 percent from beyond the arc
• Lucas finished with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists
• Junior Carmen Villalobos tied Smith with a game-high six rebounds
• Junior Irene Primo was efficient off the bench, scoring five points on 2-of-3 shooting
• The Hawks fall to 0-2 all-time against Penn

 
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford hits the road for two games in Texas. The trip marks the first time the Hawks visit the Lone Star State Hartford is set to play Houston Baptist on Thursday at 8 p.m. For more information on the Hartford women's basketball team, stay with HartfordHawks.com for updates and follow the team on social media (Twitter | Instagram)