PLYMOUTH, N.H. — First year guard Kiki Walters (Fleetwood, Pa.) scored a career-high 20 points to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's basketball team over host Plymouth State University, 63-48, this afternoon at Foley Gymnasium in Plymouth, N.H.

The Lyons improve to 4-1 for their best start since the 2014-15 season, while the Panthers fall to 2-2.

The Wheaton defense held Plymouth State to just 29.1% (16-55) shooting from the floor, including 23.5% (4-17) from three-point range. The Lyons' transition game was on full display, outscoring their hosts, 21-2, on the fastbreak, while also forcing the Panthers into 25 turnovers to translate into a 20-11 advantage in points off miscues.

Walters' impressive rookie campaign continued with a 6-11 shooting effort, including 2-4 from three-point range and a perfect 6-6 effort from the free throw line for Wheaton. She also added four rebounds, four assists and a steal. Sophomore guard Abby Fernandes (Assonet, Mass.) netted 15 points and added six steals to give her 20 thefts in her last three games and a career-high three blocks to go with two rebounds. First year forward Regan Keyter (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) nearly posted her first collegiate double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore guard Greta Minos (Boston, Mass.) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, scored four points, handed out five assists, came up with four steals and blocked a shot.

First year guard Sophie George (Meredith, N.H.) led Plymouth State with 20 points on 8-15 from the field to go with five rebounds and two steals and senior guard Alessia Salzillo (Saugus, Mass.) contributed with 10 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists.

Salzillo made a layup at the 9:13 mark of the first quarter to give the Panthers their only lead of the game at 2-0. The Lyons scored the next 11 points, including five from Walters, and never looked back. 

Wheaton later maintained a 16-7 cushion at the end of the first quarter of play. The Lyons began the second quarter with a 10-2 run, paced by six points from Fernandes, to take a 26-9 lead with 6:18 showing on the second quarter clock. Plymouth State responded by scoring nine of the next 10 points to cut the deficit to 27-18 with 54 ticks left in the opening half. Wheaton scored the final four points of the session to take a 31-18 lead into the break. 

George scored the first four points of the third quarter for the Panthers to pull them to within 31-22 with 7:06 to play in the game, but a 7-1 burst pushed the Lyons to their largest lead of the game at 38-23 with 4:17 left in the quarter. Walters sparked the run with five points. Wheaton maintained its double-digit lead throughout the quarter and went into the fourth period with a 41-31 lead.

Sophomore forward Maddie Mueller (Carver, Mass.) converted a layup with 7:47 remaining in the game to give the Lyons a comfortable 49-36 lead with three minutes to play in the game. Plymouth State made one last push with a 6-1 spurt on three-pointers from George and junior Lauren Keller (Fort Morgan, Colo.) to cut the margin to 50-42 with 2:07 to go in the game. 

Wheaton closed out the game on a 13-6 run, fueled by six points from Walter, to secure the win.

The Lyons return to action on Tuesday, November 22 when they host Johnson & Wales University at Emerson Gymnasium for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off, while the Panthers head to Auburn, Maine to take on Central Maine Community College on the same night at 5:00 p.m.