PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Purchase College women's basketball team made a triumphant return to the court on Wednesday night, marking not only the beginning of a new season but also an exciting chapter in the program's history.

The non-conference tipoff against the City College of New York Beavers may have resulted in a 54-45 loss for the Purchase scorebook, but the matchup was more than just a statistical outcome. It was a story of redemption, renewal and reconnection, as the Panthers finally laced up their sneakers for the long-awaited return to the court. It had been almost two years since the Panthers had last taken to the hardwood.

The man at the center of this new chapter is Stephen Bower, who took the reins as head coach in the summer of 2022. Bower was tasked with revitalizing a program that had faced a challenging period of dormancy due to a small roster size, leading to the cancelation of the 2022-23 season.

The anticipation was palpable as Bower, along with assistant coach DJ Peoples '21 made their collegiate coaching debuts, and it was evident that the Panthers were eager to put their best foot forward.

Adding to the intrigue, the matchup also saw the return of a familiar face: former Purchase (and Peoples's) head coach Varrell Eddie, who now dons the mantle of the CCNY head coach. The camaraderie between the coaches was evident, adding a subtle heartfelt dimension to the contest.

Scoring opened on a Aysiah Clinton (FR/Portland, OR) two-pointer before CCNY's Ana Rosa matched it with a jumper inside the paint.  

Purchase connected on back-to-back possessions to take a 6-2 lead but the visitors fired back with 12 unanswered points to tilt the scale in their favor, 14-6.

CCNY (1-1) held a 16-8 edge after the opening 10 minutes and continued to ignite in the second quarter, resulting in a 30-20 halftime advantage.

Despite their best efforts, the Panthers were unable to erase the first-half deficit and would close the game in defeat, 54-45.

Kaylena led the Purchase offense with 12 points and three assists, while adding five rebounds on the defensive end. Charlee Neb (SO/Longmont, CO) also reached double digits with 10 points and finished with five boards and a pair of steals. Halle Greaige (FR/) led all players with a game-high 11 rebounds.

Kasia Morrison, who played at Purchase for the 2021-22 season before transferring to CCNY, recorded a game-high 19 points to lead the visitors. Anais Rosa was next in line with 12 points, while Anna Vikatos notched the game-high in blocks (4) and steals (4).

The Panthers will look to bounce back this weekend when they travel to Manhattan to take on Yeshiva University at 3 p.m. 

For the latest news on the Panthers, visit the official site of Purchase College Athletics. Also, become a follower of the Panthers on Instagram (purchasewbb) and Twitter (@PC_Panthers), and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (@purchasecollegeathletics).