NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (Interstat) — The Merrimack Warriors erupted for 32 points in the first quarter and never looked back, avenging a loss from two weeks prior with a commanding 87-63 victory over the Iona Gaels in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Thursday afternoon at a sparsely attended Volpe Athletic Center.

The decisive opening period set the tone for the entire contest. Merrimack, which lost to Iona 58-51 on Jan. 14, came out with relentless offensive efficiency, connecting on 11 of its first 18 shots from the floor. The Warriors built a 32-14 lead by the end of the quarter, a deficit from which Iona could not recover. The Gaels managed only four points in the second quarter, allowing Merrimack to take a 45-18 lead into halftime.

Iona showed signs of life after the break, outscoring Merrimack 26-23 in the third quarter behind 12 points from guard Ella Fajardo, but the Warriors’ lead never dipped below 19 points. Merrimack’s offensive execution proved too consistent, and they comfortably closed out the fourth quarter to secure the win.

The most important part of the game was undoubtedly the first-quarter onslaught. Merrimack established immediate dominance by hitting five three-pointers in the period and forcing Iona into a stagnant offensive rhythm. The 18-point lead after ten minutes effectively decided the contest, as Iona spent the remaining three quarters fighting an uphill battle against a Merrimack team that played with confidence and control.

Paloma Garcia, a guard from Corozal, Puerto Rico, led Merrimack with 17 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double, adding four assists. She was instrumental in the early surge. Oralye Kiefer of Wayland, Massachusetts, scored a game-high 22 points, including six three-pointers, and blocked four shots. Madison Roman of Fairfield, Connecticut, controlled the glass with 16 rebounds to go with 12 points and six assists. Lydia Melashenko of Ottawa, Canada, contributed 16 points.

For Iona, Ella Fajardo of Bergenfield, New Jersey, scored 21 points, with 15 coming in the second half. Isabellah Middleton of Leesburg, Virginia, recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The statistical disparity told the story of the lopsided affair. Merrimack shot 53% from the field compared to Iona’s 36%. The Warriors also held a significant advantage in offensive efficiency, scoring 134.5 points per 100 possessions against Iona’s 95.5. Both teams struggled to generate assists, combining for only five in the game.

With the victory, Merrimack improves to 11-9 overall. Iona falls to 13-8. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Merrimack entered the game with a 77.2% probability to win.

Iona looks to rebound on the road against Manhattan on Saturday. Merrimack travels to face Quinnipiac, also on Saturday.