LEIPSIC, Del. (Interstat) — The Penn women’s basketball team used a dominant defensive performance to secure a decisive 63-41 victory over Delaware State on Monday night at Memorial Hall.

The Quakers improved to 2-0 on the young season, while the Hornets fell to 1-2.

Penn’s defense was the story of the game, holding Delaware State to just 15 made field goals on 59 attempts, a frigid 25.4 percent shooting performance. The Quakers’ defensive pressure was relentless, particularly in the first half, where they built an insurmountable lead. Penn held a 36-17 advantage at halftime after outscoring the Hornets 20-6 in the second quarter.

The Quakers’ offense was efficient, if not spectacular, shooting 44.2 percent from the floor. They were led by a standout performance from Tina Njike, who posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes of action. Katie Collins, a 6-foot-1 forward from Manasquan, New Jersey, also recorded a double-double, contributing 8 points and 12 rebounds while adding 2 assists and a block.

The game was never in doubt after Penn’s first-half surge. The Quakers opened the game on a 9-0 run before Delaware State’s Nevaeh Reaves connected on a 3-pointer for the Hornets’ first points. Penn answered immediately, and a 3-pointer from Ashna Tambe early in the second quarter extended the lead to 19-11, sparking the 20-6 quarter that put the game out of reach.

Delaware State showed a brief spark after halftime, outscoring Penn 17-16 in the third quarter, but could not cut the deficit to fewer than 14 points. The Hornets were led by Mahogany Cottingham, who finished with 7 points and 3 assists. Liliana Harrison added 8 points and 4 rebounds, while Reaves came off the bench to score 8 points, all in the second half.

Penn’s depth was on full display as nine different players scored. Saniah Caldwell added 9 points, while Simone Sawyer provided a spark with 6 points and 5 rebounds in just 16 minutes. The Quakers controlled the glass, outrebounding Delaware State 42-30, and capitalized on second chances with 9 offensive rebounds.

The victory continued a strong start for Penn, which demolished King’s College 105-31 in its season opener on Friday. Delaware State was coming off a narrow 66-63 road loss to American University on Saturday.

Penn’s next contest is a cross-city matchup at Drexel on Wednesday. Delaware State will look to rebound at home against Bloomfield College, also on Wednesday.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 175 at Memorial Hall. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Penn was projected with a 98.20 percent probability to win.