NEWPORT, R.I. -- Salve Regina University jumped out to an 18-0 lead against the Mount Holyoke College basketball team before finishing with a 77-29 victory at the Rodgers Recreation Center on Saturday, in the NEWMAC opener for both teams.

The game was the second meeting ever between the programs, with the previous being a 70-61 Lyons win in the 2005-06 season. Salve Regina joined the NEWMAC this academic year.

The Seahawks (7-8, 1-0 NEWMAC) were led by Sofia Neary with 16 points, with Briana Neary and Morgan Shuey both contributing 12 points.

First-year Hannah Goen (New London, N.H.) and sophomore Kendall Maurer (Orinda, Calif.) scored seven points apiece to share the team scoring lead for the Lyons (2-13, 0-1 NEWMAC).

Shuey scored five seconds into the game after Sofia Neary directed the opening tip-off towards her graduate student teammate. The Lyons had four turnovers on their first five possessions. Briana Neary had the next two buckets for the Seahawks, and scored eight points in the period. All nine points for the Lyons came from their bench, including five from Maurer and two apiece from seniors Nicole Lutalo (Kampala, Uganda) and Isabel Cordes (Yorktown, Va.).

Salve Regina scored the first 11 points of the second period to build a 31-point advantage (40-9). First-year Eva Taberski had a defensive rebound, then an offensive rebound, and finally a 3-pointer for the first basket of the quarter for the Lyons. Salve Regina oustcored Mount Holyoke, 22-5, in the quarter for a 51-14 lead at the half.

Starting off with a 3-pointer by sophomore Libby Harris (Foxborough, Mass.), the Lyons scored 11 points in the third quarter and held the Seahawks to 18. The fourth quarter was a defensive battle for both teams, with the Seahawks outscoring the Lyons 8-4.

Mount Holyoke will play at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., on Wednesday at 7pm in its second NEWMAC game of the season.