JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Interstat) — Zoey Ward scored 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, powering Iona to a 66-55 victory over Saint Peter’s in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Yanitelli Center.

The Gaels, who avenged a home loss to the Peacocks from just over a month ago, used a decisive second-quarter surge to take control and never trailed in the final three periods. The win improved Iona to 18-10 overall, while Saint Peter’s fell to 7-20.

The most important stretch of the game came in the second quarter, where Iona transformed a narrow 10-9 deficit after the first period into a commanding double-digit lead. The Gaels erupted for 22 points in the frame, outscoring the Peacocks by eight. Ward was instrumental, hitting a 3-pointer and a jump shot during the run, while Adrianna Gonzalez came off the bench to provide a spark with a driving layup and a 3-pointer of her own. The Iona defense tightened, limiting Saint Peter’s to 4-of-12 shooting from the floor in the quarter and forcing five turnovers. By halftime, the Gaels had built a 31-24 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish.

Ward, a 6-foot guard from Gastonia, North Carolina, was dominant on both ends, playing 40 minutes and adding two assists to her massive double-double. She shot 11 of 24 from the field, including 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, and consistently stifled Saint Peter’s possessions with a game-high 12 defensive rebounds. Her performance marked a significant offensive resurgence after scoring a combined 26 points over her previous three games.

Ella Fajardo of Bergenfield, New Jersey, facilitated the Iona offense with six assists to go with 11 points, and Isabellah Middleton added 10 points and four rebounds. Gonzalez contributed five points and five rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.

Saint Peter’s was led by Jayshlynn Vega, who scored 18 points in just 23 minutes. De’Naya Rippey added 16 points for the Peacocks, who struggled offensively throughout, shooting just 38.8% from the field and posting an offensive rating of 81.4 points per 100 possessions. Iona, while not exceptionally efficient with a 99.7 offensive rating, won the battle on the glass with a 38-29 rebounding edge, including nine offensive boards to Saint Peter’s four.

The Peacocks made several pushes in the second half, closing to within seven points early in the fourth quarter after a 3-pointer from Vega made it 39-32. Each time, Ward answered for Iona. She immediately responded with a 3-pointer of her own on the ensuing possession to push the lead back to 10. Later, with the lead at 48-41, Ward drew a foul and made two free throws, then hit another crucial 3-pointer off an assist from Middleton to extend the advantage to 53-43 with just over five minutes remaining, effectively sealing the game.

Saint Peter’s, which had nine steals and forced 15 Iona turnovers, could not overcome its own 15 giveaways and a cold shooting afternoon from deep, finishing 6 of 18 from 3-point range. Louella Allana had five rebounds and two assists for the Peacocks, while Carys Roy blocked three shots.

The game was a stark contrast to the teams’ meeting on Jan. 19, when Saint Peter’s left New Rochelle with a 63-57 win. Iona’s defense was far more effective in the rematch, holding the Peacocks 19 points below their scoring output in that prior victory.

A sparse crowd of 180 at the Yanitelli Center saw Iona methodically close out the game at the free-throw line in the final minute. The Gaels finished the game shooting 45.5% from the field and 42.1% from 3-point range.

Iona returns home to host Manhattan on Thursday. Saint Peter’s will look to regroup when it hosts Marist on Thursday before traveling to face Manhattan on Saturday.