(photo by Riley Olson)
The Fredonia State women's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season with an impressive defensive performance on Saturday, forcing 28 turnovers and cruising to a 66-46 victory over William Smith at Dods Hall.
Fredonia State had three scorers in double-figures. Aliyah Hopkins led with 17 points and eight rebounds. Grace Alexander supported the team with 15 points, six assists, and eight rebounds. Ashley Kalvitis added 11 points and two assists.
Though William Smith opened the scoring, Fredonia quickly took charge, topping the Herons with a three-pointer from Alexander. Three steals from Kalvitis bolstered the defense, and the Devils had a 17-11 lead by the end of the first quarter. Two consecutive lay-ups from Alexander furthered the lead to 12 points, and the score was 45-29 by halftime.
The Blue Devils kept steady momentum, gaining an even greater lead in the second half. Fredonia maintained control throughout the final 10 minutes. Kalvitis knocked down a three-pointer midway through the quarter, Kaylyn Sweeney assisted Alexander in netting a three-pointer at the 1:09 minute mark of the fourth quarter. And with just 32 seconds left, a lay-up from Makenna Chamberlain brought the score to its final 66-46.
The Blue Devils scored 24 points off turnovers and 20 fast-break points while holding William Smith to 30.6 percent shooting from the floor. Fredonia also owned a 36-14 scoring advantage in the paint.
Kaylyn Sweeney contributed five points and four assists off the bench, while Ava Brazier added four points and two steals.
