NEW YORK – Top-ranked New York University saw all five of its starters hit double-figures in scoring, leading to a 101-68 victory over the University of Rochester women's basketball team on Sunday afternoon at the John A. Paulson Center.
 
The Violets extend their perfect season, moving to 14-0 on the year and are now 3-0 in the University Athletic Association. NYU has not lost since March 11, 2023, a stretch of 45 straight victories that included a 2023-24 NCAA Division III national title.
 
Rochester falls to 8-6 on the season and is now 1-2 in the UAA after dropping both road contests this weekend. UR fell at Brandeis on Friday evening after opening conference play last weekend with a road win at Emory.
 
On Sunday, a trio of Yellowjackets finished with a team-high 11 points. Abby Gress had 11 points and three rebounds. Erin Lillis had 11 points, 4 assists and 3 steals, while Claire Groenewoud finished with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
 
Grace Corelli scored eight points, while three others, Tia Poulakidas, Franki Gomez and Annelise Dexter finished with seven points. Deniz Alparslan led the 'Jackets with seven rebounds.
 
NYU's Belle Pellecchia led all scorers with 24 points on the day, adding 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Natalie Bruns scored 17 points and finished with 10 rebounds for a double-double. Fellow starters Jamie Behar (15 points), Caroline Peper (14 points) and Brooke Batchelor (10 points) all hit double-figures in scoring for the Violets.
 
The first quarter was a high-scoring affair, with a combined 57 points between the two schools. NYU led 33-24.
 
After three and a half minutes, the Violets led 8-2 following back-to-back layups by Bruns. Poulakidas scored five of the next seven points in the quarter to pull UR back within three after four minutes had elapsed.
 
Leading 15-11, the Violets used a 6-0 spurt, with Behar hitting a 3-pointer and Mary Kate Fahey adding three free throws to boost the lead to ten.
 
Baskets from Lillis and Groenewoud kickstarted an 8-3 run for the Yellowjackets, getting the visitors back within five points, but NYU hit three straight 3-pointers to regain a double-digit lead nearing the end of the quarter.
 
UR's Groenewoud hit a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left in the period to make it a nine-point game after the first.
 
During the second, NYU clamped down defensively, holding Rochester to just 25% shooting, leading to a 19-9 score line, taking a 19-point advantage into halftime.
 
The second half was more of the same, with NYU scoring 20 or more points in each quarter, while holding the 'Jackets to under that number, leading to the big margin of victory.
 
Next weekend, Rochester hosts its home UAA opener on Friday night against Washington University in St. Louis, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. in the Palestra. That kickstarts a 4-game homestand for the Yellowjackets.