AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team ensured their first memories of the Tom Golisano Field House would be happy memories, as a fired up Gyrenes team rolled past Lawrence Tech, 67-49, Friday afternoon in the Gyrene Christmas Classic. AMU's first win in the new Field House moved the Gyrenes to 2-0 in the Classic, and set AMU up with a chance to sweep the event on Saturday. In the other game of the day, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College defeated Florida National.

A clearly energized Ave Maria team started strong against Lawrence Tech, jumping out to a 17-5 lead by the end of the first quarter. Casey Humphrey was credited with Ave Maria's first points in the new building, a layup on AMU's first possession of the game. The 17-5 lead was powered by a 9-0 Ave Maria run to close the quarter. Four different Gyrenes scored during the stretch, courtesy of a Mary Smith three-pointer and a trio of layups over the final three minutes.

That three minute surge propelled the Gyrenes to an even bigger lead in the second quarter. After holding a lead of just 8-5, Ave Maria went on a 25-3 run, ending with an Allison Fifield three-pointer that extended the AMU lead to 33-8. Lawrence Tech would score eight unanswered points to cut the lead to 17, but the Gyrenes got a layup from Emily Rapacz on their final possession to take a commanding 35-16 lead into their first halftime at the New Golisano.

Maria Kuhlman hit a three-pointer on Ave Maria's first possession of the second half, pushing the AMU lead to 22 points. From there, Lawrence Tech was not able to get within 20 points for the remainder of the third quarter, with the Gyrenes leading by as many as 28 points, a lead that was also the product of a Kuhlman three-pointer. The Gyrenes outscored Tech 19-14 in the third, allowing the lead to extend to 24 points with just ten minutes to play.

Lawrence Tech did outscore the Gyrenes in the fourth quarter, but the game was essentially decided for the duration of the frame. 15 different Gyrenes saw playing time in Saturday's win, with 13 scoring at least two points.

Fittingly, it was a full team effort in the first game played on the AMU campus in almost four years. Seven Gyrenes scored between five and 12 points. Colleen Shanahan was the scoring leader with 12 points, and led the way on the glass with nine rebounds. Casey Humphrey added nine points, while Maria Kuhlman scored eight. Katie Ambrose helped lead the Gyrenes' attack with five assists, while also adding six points. 

Ave Maria will look for a 3-0 week at the Christmas Classic on Saturday, when the Gyrenes finish the event against Saint Mary of the Woods College. SMWC is 1-1 in Ave Maria, with a win over Florida National and a loss to Lawrence Tech on their resume. The Gyrenes and the Pomeroys are scheduled to tip off at noon at the Tom Golisano Field House.