PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Joan Quinn scored 19 points and Ashleigh Connor added 22 as the La Salle Explorers used a dominant first quarter to set the tone in an 84-73 victory over the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Tom Gola Arena.

A season-high crowd of 2,942 watched the Explorers (2-0) burst out of the gate with a 27-point opening period, building a lead they would never relinquish. The Red Flash fell to 0-2 with the loss.

La Salle’s backcourt duo proved too much for the visitors to handle. Quinn, a 5-foot-9 guard from Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, filled the stat sheet with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 33 minutes. Connor, a 5-11 guard from Pittsburgh, contributed 22 points, six rebounds and five assists.

The Explorers seized control immediately, opening the game on a 13-2 run. Quinn was instrumental in the early surge, scoring on a layup just 10 seconds into the contest and later adding a 3-pointer. Connor’s driving layup with 7:21 left in the first quarter capped the run and forced an early Saint Francis timeout.

Saint Francis (0-2) struggled to contain La Salle’s offensive rhythm in the first half, trailing 40-31 at the break. The Red Flash found their footing after halftime, erupting for 25 points in the third quarter to keep the game competitive. A 3-pointer from Shelby Ricks and a driving layup from Sonia Sato helped Saint Francis cut the deficit to single digits on multiple occasions.

However, every time the Red Flash mounted a challenge, La Salle had an answer. Aryss Macktoon, who finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, consistently made timely baskets to stem the tide. Her layup with 4:21 remaining in the fourth quarter pushed the La Salle lead to 72-64, and a 3-pointer from Quinn with 3:09 left extended it to 75-68, effectively sealing the victory.

Saint Francis was led by a balanced scoring effort, with four players reaching double figures, but could not overcome La Salle’s efficient offensive afternoon. The Explorers shot 50% from the field and connected on 10 3-pointers.

La Salle’s defense also played a key role, forcing 18 turnovers and converting them into 22 points. Ivona Miljanic provided a strong interior presence for the Explorers with eight points and five rebounds, while Kiara Williams chipped in seven points off the bench.

The game was part of a challenging early-season schedule for Saint Francis, which lost its opener at Duquesne 89-60. La Salle, meanwhile, continued its strong start after a 71-59 road win at Loyola Maryland earlier in the week.

La Salle will look to continue its winning ways on the road at Lehigh on Tuesday. Saint Francis returns home to host Robert Morris on Thursday.