SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - A dominant first half saw the American International College women's basketball team crush Franklin Pierce University 74-50 in Northeast 10 Conference play on Wednesday, January 7.

AIC is now 9-4 overall and 3-2 in NE10 action.

From the jump, AIC took control, with Chelsea Reeves scoring AIC's first five points and an Eden Monka triple pushing the home side ahead 10-5. Down the stretch of the quarter that only expanded, with Sarai Gurley scoring from range and Keyvanna Bennett knocking in two shots and setting up Ahliya Phillips as well; Monka and Bennett scored the final two buckets of the frame and gave AIC a 24-12 lead heading into the first break.

Over the next seven minutes, AIC piled it on, holding the Ravens scoreless and putting up 12 points, including five by Masha Andruschenko. A lone three was the only field goal for the visiting team in the quarter, and Reeves' six in the 10-minute span alone was more than Franklin Pierce as a team scored. At the half, AIC's lead was a staggering 42-17.

Ruzgar Christina Boyle scored seven of AIC's first nine in the third, and AIC's lead ballooned further, expanding to a 51-19 edge, and Boyle countered a Ravens bucket with a driving layup to restore the 32-point advantage near the midpoint of the frame. The Ravens offense finally woke up and went on a furious run, outscoring AIC 17-2 in a 4:31 stretch, but Reeves put in a buzzer-beating three at the end of the period to keep AIC up 20, with a 58-38 lead.

Reeves then opened the fourth with another make from downtown, and the fourth was a formality; AIC outscored the Ravens 16-12 in the final frame, with Gurley draining the final shot of the game from range to close the scoring and give AIC a 74-50 win.

With 22 points, Reeves led all scorers; she also dished five assists. Bennett posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 boards, and Boyle scored 13 points. Bennett, Reeves, and Monka each had three swipes. 

The victory marked the 281st of the career of Kristen Hutchison as Head Women's Basketball Coach at AIC; she broke a tie with longtime AIC men's basketball coach Jim Powell for fifth-most in the College's history in all varsity sports. 

AIC will look to reach double digits in wins on Saturday, January 10 against Assumption University. The NE10 matchup tips off at 1:30 p.m. at Butova Gym.