SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Behind a true team performance, the Bryant University women's basketball team opened Northeast Conference play with a 77-63 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson, earning its fourth-straight win, Saturday afternoon at the Chace Athletic Center.

Senior Naana Ankoma-Mensa (Brampton, Ont.) and graduate student Meredith Soper (Winthrop, Mass.) combined for 43 points to lead the Bulldogs (6-6, 1-0 Northeast Conference) to a dominant win over FDU (1-11, 0-1 NEC) to open 2014 and NEC play on a high note.

Ankoma-Mensa led all scorers with 24 points and 14 rebounds (10 offensive), while Soper added 19 points and eight boards in 34 minutes of play. Senior Courtney Schissler (Branford, Conn.) rounded out Bryant's double-digit scorers with 11 points to go along with five caroms and three assists.

Senior point guard Jenniqua Bailey (Bloomfield, Conn.) added eight points while battling foul trouble and sophomore Breanna Rucker (Cincinnati, Ohio) played a great hustle game with seven rebounds to go along with four points. Junior Melissa Corraro (Shelton, Conn.) was also terrific off the bench dishing out seven first half assists in just 15 minutes of play.

Kelsey Cruz led the Knights with 23 points in 34 minutes while Kiana Brown added 10 and five.

Bryant finished the contest shooting a game-best 41 percent from the field after shooting 50 percent in the opening half, while FDU finished shooting a 35 percent clip from the field.

The Bulldogs opened a 14-9 lead nearly eight minutes into the contest despite a scrappy start for both squads, eventually extending the advantage to 11 points, 20-9, thanks to six-straight points from Soper.

The two teams began to trade baskets through the eight minute mark but a 3-pointer by Stephanie Cardamone (Freehold, N.J.) and layup from Ankoma-Mensa granted the Black and Gold a 29-17 lead, their largest of the afternoon.

The Bulldogs closed the half on a 19-10 run thanks to some stellar play by Soper and Corraro to open up a 48-27 advantage at the half. Soper led all scorers at the break with 19 points to go along with five boards while Ankoma-Mensa put up 14 points and four rebounds. Cruz paced the Knights with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field.

The second frame opened similarly to the first with some sloppy play early on but Bryant continued to put its foot on the pedal, extending its edge to 23 points, 54-31, at the first media break of the half.

The Bulldogs held on to a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game thanks to strong play on both ends of the floor, cruising to its fourth-straight victory, 77-63.

Bryant will hit the road for its next three games, heading to Wagner on Monday before making the trek to Pennsylvania for contests against Saint Francis U. and Robert Morris next weekend.

For all the latest news on the Bryant University women's basketball team, visit BryantBulldogs.com.