MONTCLAIR, N.J. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team opened the 2015-16 season with a 77-62 loss at No. 12 Montclair State on Sunday afternoon in Panzer Athletic Center. Four different players for Ithaca contributed double-digit point efforts in the loss.

The NCAA has implemented new changes to women's college basketball this season, and the sport will now play four 10-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves.

Ithaca got off to a slow start in the first quarter, falling behind Montclair, 16-3. The Bombers bounced back in the second quarter with 28 points to 14 for the Red Hawks to take a 31-30 lead into halftime. Montclair came out of intermission and outscored Ithaca, 28-13, in the third quarter, and led by as many as 22 late in the fourth stanza to come away with the 15-point win, 77-62.

The Bombers took their first lead of the game with 2:31 left in the second quarter at 27-26, and went up by four points early in the third quarter, 34-30, but the Red Hawks answered with a 6-0 run to take the lead for good.

The Ithaca offense struggled from the field, shooting just 29-percent overall (18-for-62) and 10.3-percent from three-point range (3-for-29). The Bomber did, however, connect on 23-of-32 attempts at the free throw line. Montclair shot 24-for-58 (41.4%) from the floor and 8-for-17 from long range (47.1%).

Junior Erin Ferguson led Ithaca with 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting in 23 minutes. Ferguson also grabbed seven rebounds.

Senior Keri Steele, junior Ali Ricchiuti and freshman Allie Tunick all poured in 10 points. Steele made 7-of-11 attempts from the line with eight rebounds, while Ricchiuti snared six boards with three steals and two assists. Tunick hit a pair of three-pointers in the loss.

Junior Alex Gilligan chipped in nine points to go along with five rebounds, and sophomore Jordan Beers added five points with three rebounds.

Ithaca returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at New Paltz for a 6 p.m. tip-off. The Bombers open up at home on Nov. 20 versus Bard at 3 p.m.