HADLEY, Mass. (Interstat) — The Massachusetts Minutemen used a dominant first-half performance to secure an 84-73 victory over the Siena Saints in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at the Mullins Center.

Playing in front of 970 fans, the Minutemen improved their early-season record to 2 wins and 0 losses, while the Saints remained winless, dropping to 0 and 2.

From the opening tip, Massachusetts established control, capitalizing on a balanced offensive attack and stout interior defense. The first quarter set the tone, with the Minutemen racing out to a 23 to 11 lead. The home team continued to apply pressure in the second period, outscoring Siena 21 to 20 to take a commanding 44 to 31 advantage into the halftime break.

Siena, showing resilience after a season-opening loss to Colgate, attempted to mount a challenge in the third quarter. The Saints managed to narrow the gap slightly by outscoring Massachusetts 16 to 20 in the period, but the Minutemen’s lead proved too substantial to overcome quickly. Entering the final quarter, Massachusetts held a 64 to 47 lead.

The fourth quarter saw a surge from the Saints, who unleashed their most productive offensive period of the young season. Siena poured in 26 points, but the Minutemen matched their intensity, scoring 20 points of their own to maintain a safe distance and close out the 11-point victory.

The story of the game was the multifaceted offensive display from Massachusetts. Allie Palmieri, a guard from Trumbull, Connecticut, led the Minutemen in scoring with 20 points, adding 4 rebounds and 2 assists. She was complemented by the dynamic backcourt play of Yahmani McKayle. The Queens, New York, native orchestrated the offense masterfully, dishing out 8 assists while also contributing 19 points and 3 rebounds.

Further bolstering the Massachusetts attack was Megan Olbrys. The 6-foot-1 forward from Norwood, Massachusetts, provided a strong inside presence, recording 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Ayanna Franks of Windsor, Connecticut, was a force on the glass, pulling down a team-high 7 rebounds to go with 10 points, 3 assists, and 2 blocked shots. The Minutemen’s interior defense was anchored by Chinenye Odenigbo of Walpole, Massachusetts, who swatted away 3 Siena shots in just 16 minutes of action.

Despite the loss, Siena was carried by a spectacular individual performance from Francesca Schiro. The Hillsborough, New Jersey, guard was relentless, scoring a game-high 28 points in 34 minutes on the court. Schiro also demonstrated her all-around game, handing out 6 assists and grabbing 4 rebounds. Genevive Wedemeyer, hailing from Cowbridge, Germany, provided secondary scoring for the Saints with 13 points. Nicole Melious of Staten Island, New York, chipped in 9 points and a team-best 6 rebounds.

The victory continues a positive start for Massachusetts under first-year head coach, following a road win against Old Dominion earlier in the week. The team’s ability to distribute scoring and create opportunities through assists, led by McKayle’s 8, was a key factor in their success.

For Siena, the defeat marks a second consecutive game where the offense struggled to find consistency outside of Schiro’s production. The Saints will look to build on their high-scoring fourth quarter as they seek their first win of the season.

Looking ahead, Massachusetts returns to the Mullins Center floor quickly, hosting Harvard on Tuesday. Siena has a few days to regroup before traveling to face Army on Thursday. The game unfolded largely as predicted by analytics, with Interstat’s ELO system having given the Minutemen an 84.50 percent probability of winning.