VILLANOVA, PA. – In the 2021-22 season opener on Wednesday evening, the Villanova Wildcats fell to the visiting Princeton Tigers by a score of 59-42.
 
Senior forward Brianna Herlihy led the Wildcats in the loss with 12 points, while junior forward Maddy Siegrist added 10 points and nine rebounds. Herlihy was 4-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range.
 
Princeton was paced Abby Meyers with 21 points and Julia Cunningham who had 11 points. Ellie Mitchell chipped in with six points and a game-high 10 caroms.
 
For the game, Villanova shot 15-of-57 from the field (26.3%), 5-of-22 from three-point range (22.7%) and 7-of-10 from the foul line (70.0%), while the Tigers shot 34.9 percent from the floor (22-of-63), 36.4 percent from long distance (4-of-11) and 78.6 percent from the charity stripe (11-of-14). Princeton owned a 47-39 advantage on the backboards.
 
Villanova returns to action on Friday, Nov. 12, when the Wildcats travel to No. 4 Maryland. Game time is set for 7 p.m.   
 
FIRST QUARTER:
** Neither team scored for the first 3:30 of the game.
** Villanova with a strong defensive quarter holding Princeton to 4-of-16 shooting from the field for 25.0 percent.
** Lior Garzon led the Wildcats in the opening quarter with five points, including a three just before the first quarter buzzer.
 
SECOND QUARTER:
** Princeton scored the first eight points of the quarter to take an 18-16 lead. 
** The Tigers scored the final seven points of the quarter to lead 30-20 at intermission.
** Villanova went scoreless over the final 6:46 of the quarter.
** The Wildcats committed six turnovers over the last 6:47.
** Lior Garzon led Villanova in the first half with six points and four rebounds.
** Princeton was paced in the first 20 minutes by Abby Meyers who had 11 points and six caroms.
 
THIRD QUARTER:
** The Wildcats used an 8-0 run to cut a 35-20 deficit to 35-28.
** Princeton scored the last eight points of the quarter to lead 45-30 after three.
** Villanova missed its final six shots of the quarter.
** Grace Stone had seven third quarter points to lead Princeton, while Maddy Siegrist had six points for the Wildcats.
 
FOURTH QUARTER:
** Princeton put the game away over the four minutes of the quarter when the Tigers opened-up a 53-32 lead.
** The Wildcats never got within 17 after the Tigers led by 21.
** Villanova was charged with six fourth quarter turnovers.
** The Tigers had 12 points in the paint in the fourth quarter.
 
NOTES: Villanova falls to 32-21 all-time in season openers…The Wildcats are now 66-11 all-time against Ivy League competition…Villanova has made a three-point field goal in 549 consecutive games…The Wildcats now lead the all-time series with Princeton by a 12-7 count.