Defense was the key as the Chestnut Hill College women's Basketball team won their second consecutive game to start the 2022-23 season, defeating Molloy University 70-43 Sunday afternoon at the ECC-CACC conference Challenge hosted by Jefferson University on Philadelphia.

The Griffins are 2-0 while Molloy falls to 0-2.

Emily Chmiel again led the Griffins with 16 points, making seven of 11 shots from the field. Leah Miller came off the bench to score ten points, connecting on five of eight shots. A trio of players added eight points apiece; Bri Hewlett (4-8 FG); Lauren Crim (3-6 FG, 2-4 3FG) and Bri Rider (3-7 FG, 2-3 3FG). Abbey Spratt, Siobhan Boylan and Morgan Sterner had three assists apiece.

Defensively, the Griffins limited the Lions to just ten field goals on the afternoon while holding their opponent under 40% for the second consecutive game (10-39, 25.6%). Chestnut Hill's defense forced 21 turnovers, which led to 24 Griffin points and outrebounded the Lions 42-31.

Spratt led the team with a game-high seven rebounds while Emily Sekerak added six along with two blocks. Morgan Orloski again led the team with two steals.

A rough first quarter saw the Griffins leading by just a field goal, 9-7 as neither team was able to find the range shooting, combining for just five field goals in 24 attempts. Molloy pulled within one twice in the second quarter, the last at the 5:01 mark when the Griffins went on a 13-4 run to take a double-digit lead 30-20. Molloy's Trinity Hudson (13 points) made three free throws in the final two minutes to cut the Griffins lead to seven at halftime 30-23.

The Griffins held the Lions without a field goal for the first seven minutes of the third quarter while expanding their lead to as many as 17 before the Lions closed out the period with a 12-8 run over the final four minutes, leaving the Griffins with a 49-36 lead.

Crim scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter as the Griffins opened the period with a 12-0 run to take a 61-36 lead. Hudson's three-point field goal with 4:33 left broke the run. Rider later added two baskets to increase the lead to 68-42 before Avery White rounded out the scoring with a layup and gave the Griffins their final margin of victory 70-43.

For the game, the Griffins shot 40.9% (27-66) from the field and made 11 of 13 shots from the free throw line. Molloy made 19 of 27 shots from the charity stripe.  The Griffins committed just 11 turnovers while forcing 21 and had a decisive 24-4 advantage in the points off turnovers category.

Hudson led Molloy with 13 points. Gianni Domond added 10 while Danielle Hippner had seven points, seven rebounds and seven blocks on the afternoon.

The Chestnut Hill College Women's Basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, for their home opener against Bloomsburg University. Tipoff at Sorgenti Arena is set for 5:30 p.m.