WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Salve Regina University women's basketball (19-10) faced its highest-ranked opponent in the history of the program, No. 8 William Paterson University (26-2), in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championships. The Pioneers posted a convincing 79-44 victory while Seahawk senior Lindsay Shorey (Ashland, Mass.) posted a near triple double with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and nine blocked shots.

Shorey did most of her scoring from the charity stripe, making 11-of-14 free throws. April Smith led all players with 23 points for the Pioneers, who advance to face sectional host King's College in Saturday's second-round matchup (5:30 p.m.).

Salve Regina sophomore Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) scored the game's first basket, a layup in the first minute. William Paterson then went on a 24-4 run before the first half was half over. The Seahawks had just Pendergast's field goal in the first 10 minutes along with free throws from Shorey and Kaitlyn Birrell (Scituate, R.I.).

After the 10-minute mark, Brianna DelValle (Belchertown, Mass.) started a 6-0 run for the Seahawks with a jumper. In the second half, Laura Anne Dinan (Monterey, Mass.) - a hero with four 3-pointers in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) championship game last Saturday - hit her first basket to start an 8-0 run for Salve Regina.

Seahawk senior guard Kira Murphy (New Boston, N.H.), whose regular season ended in January with a knee injury that required surgery, returned to play 15 minutes in tonight's game and contributed two rebounds and an assist.

Shorey completed her collegiate career as the school's all-time leading shot blocker (313) and fourth on the women's all-time scoring list (1,329 points).

Salve Regina finishes the season 19-10 overall and falls to 1-7 all-time in NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championships.

Seahawk head coach Cori Hughes has brought her team to the NCAAs three times in her five seasons. "Our kids never gave up. We faced a talented team, and unfortunately we didn't play our best basketball. But I'm so proud to be the coach of such a hard-working, classy group of athletes."