WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior guard Katie Meriggioli (Waunakee, Wisc./Edgewood HS) scored a season-high 23 points and senior center Monica Viapiano (Holden/Holy Name HS) registered a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double as Bentley University led from the opening basket for an 89-66 win over Queens College (N.Y.) in non-conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon on Barbara Stevens Court.

Both players shot 8-of-11 from the field as Bentley improved to 3-2 with the victory in its home opener. Queens dropped its fifth straight after an opening day victory.

Eight of Meriggioli's points came during an opening barrage as the Falcons shot out to a 15-2 start in the first four minutes. Viapiano opened the scoring by draining a three-ball from the left wing 13 seconds after the opening tip and Meriggiolli tallied the next eight with a driving lay-up and a pair from beyond the arc.

Both teams shot very well during a first quarter that saw the Falcons and Knights trade baskets over the final six minutes and ended with the home team in front 30-18. Bentley made 10 of 15, including five of nine three-pointers, and Queens made eight of 14 from the field.

After Queens drew within five, Bentley scored the final six of the second to take a 47-36 lead into the locker room. Senior guard Maddy Springfield (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant HS) got it started and Meriggioli followed with a long two-pointer and a pair of free throws.

The momentum carried over into the third and the run grew to 14-2 and the lead hit 55-38 when sophomore Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wisc./Appleton North HS) buried a three from the right side with 7:20 on the clock.

Queens climbed back into the game by scoring the first nine of the fourth, making it a six-point game (69-63) with 7:50 remaining. That included six from freshman forward Raiana Brown (North Babylon, N.Y.).

The Falcons counted with nine straight of their own, including a three-pointer from freshman Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS), and Bentley went on to win by 24.

Following Meriggioli (+36 for the game) and Viapiano on the scoring list was Thompson with a career-high 17 points. She made four of seven three-pointers in her first career start and also had four assists and two steals.

The list of double-figure scorers also included Brekke and Springfield, each with ten.

Junior Zorria West (Coram, N.Y.) led Queens with 18 points and five steals.

Both teams shot 53 percent with the difference the Falcons' three-point shooting. Bentley sank 13 of 28 from downtown while the Knights were just three of six. Bentley also had a 14-4 advantage in free throws and nine more rebounds, 33-24. The rebounding superiority helped the Falcons to score 18 second-chance points.

Bentley is back in the Dana on Tuesday to face Stonehill in its first Northeast-10 contest of the season.