ELGIN, Ill. - A strong rebounding advantage for Viterbo University (1-0) helped them to a 66-50 win over Judson University (1-0) in the season opener for both teams. Judson was out rebounded by 19, 53-34, and held to just 29% shooting from the floor.

Alicia Rovertoni (Columbia, IL/Columbia HS) picked up her 21^st career double-double leading Judson with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Kristi Siemers (Bensonville, IL/Oakton CC) added 12 points while ShaRhonda Huff had 10. Katina Mandylaris had 17 for Viterbo.

Judson sprinted out of the gates to begin the game as they took a nine-point lead, 11-2, in the first five minutes of the game. Judson made four of their first six shots for the nine-point advantage. Over the next eight minutes, Viterbo put together a 20-5 run to take a six-point lead, 22-16. In that eight minutes, Judson's offense sputtered as they missed 11 of 12 shots and had four turnovers.

With a deficit now, Judson had to put together a run to put themselves back in the game. In two and half minutes Judson did just that with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 24. Siemers hit one of her three three-pointers to tie the game at the 4:43 mark. The tie lasted for 14 seconds as Viterbo retook the lead and out scored Judson, 12-5 to end the half with a seven-point lead, 36-29.

The well went dry for Judson in the second half from three-point range. Judson made 45% (5-of-11) from beyond the arc in the first half but just made one shot in the second for 16% (1-of-6). Judson cut the lead to three, 38-35, in the first three minutes on a Rovertoni layup but then the offense did not score again for two and a half minutes. Viterbo pushed their lead to seven until Rovertoni made another layup with 14:42 left to bring the lead back to five, 42-37.

It took Judson three more minutes to score with Viterbo taking advantage of that going on a 10-0 run for a 15-point lead, 52-37. That run was costly for Judson as the lead only went under double digits once. Judson cut the lead to nine, 59-50, with just over three minutes remaining but could not get any closer. The layup by Huff with 3:12 remaining was the final basket that Judson made in the game.

Judson finished shooting 29% from the floor, 35% from three-point range, and 66% from the line while Viterbo made 38% from the floor, 26% from three-point land, and 52% from the stripe. The big advantage was in rebounding as Viterbo had 53 to Judson's 34. Judson also had 16 turnovers to Viterbo's 13.

Judson will travel to Eureka College on Saturday, November 7^th, for an exhibition game starting at 1:00 p.m.