Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics.
Captain Marley Berano ‘25 scores 14 of Mount Holyoke College’s points against Dean College.
By Kate Vavra ’26
Staff Writer
Mount Holyoke College Basketball lost to Dean College 44-38 at home in its season opener on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Captain Marley Berano ’25 scored 14 of Mount Holyoke’s 38 points.
“At the end of the day, the team’s defensive energy was the best part of our game against Dean,” Berano said. “As our offensive puzzle pieces are starting to click, I have no doubt that the Lyons will begin to see a hearty stat spread across the whole roster.”
Berano also commended her fellow “newly elected and well-deserving captains,” Emily Mock ’24 and Nicole Lutalo ’24. “I am so excited to share the reins with them and am looking forward to a gritty season with them by my side.”
Despite falling to the Bulldogs, the Lyons played hard. Mount Holyoke seized 41 rebounds, while Dean had only 38. Emma Goff ’27 grabbed seven rebounds, and Sofia Francisco ’27 had eight. The Lyons had a nine-to-one advantage in blocked shots. In the third quarter, Mount Holyoke tied up the game at 33-33, with Isabel Cordes ’24 making a free throw to tie the score at 33-33. Berano ’25 also scored 10 points within the third quarter alone.
The Lyon with the most playing time of the game, Katie Rha ’25, made her home court debut as a starter after being injured for much of last year’s season. She scored four points for Mount Holyoke.
“Returning to the court after a lengthy injury at the beginning of last season has given me a different drive and determination,” Rha said. “I cherish every minute I can contribute to my team and feel a heightened sense of gratitude for the opportunity to be on the court and support my teammates through my presence.”
The Lyons are determined to improve their performance and are already thinking about how they will improve their skills for future games. Maddy Duncan ’26, who also plays for the team, said that at times, players struggle with maintaining “consistent confidence” in their abilities.
“We’re working on finding ways to keep ourselves positive and confident and maintain our team trust throughout the highs and lows of the game,” Duncan said.
Talking strategy, Rha mentioned, “We will be focusing on exercising more patience on offense, promoting ball movement and paying meticulous attention to and tightening up both offensive and defensive details that we have been working on in practice.”
As for team captain Berano, “With a talented and sprightly group of seasoned and rookie post players, we are learning to adjust our existing play style to include a strong inside-out game. Feeding the post will be key to drastic improvements this season.”
This game also served as an athletics department Game of the Week, a designated event to encourage school spirit and spectator attendance at a specific game. The lacrosse team was assigned to promote basketball, working to hype up the game and increase attendance by publicizing it with chalk signs around campus.
In their next game, Mount Holyoke Basketball will host Johnson and Wales University on Saturday, Nov. 18.