DAVENPORT, Iowa --- University of St. Francis freshman center Baylei Johnson made quite the first impression in her Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference debut Tuesday night, totaling a team-high 20 points in the Fighting Saints' 68-60 women's basketball victory over St. Ambrose University.

Johnson came into the league opener totaling 33 points over her first six games combined before hitting nine of her 14 attempts from the field on Tuesday to lead the team in scoring.  She also pulled down four rebounds.

Laurelei Thormeyer joined Johnson in scoring in double figures, finishing with 12 markers.  Jorja Bolton provided another eight points, five rebounds and three assists, while Mia Kennelly came up with a game-high 11 rebounds.

St. Ambrose (0-3, 0-1 CCAC) gained two-thirds of its scoring from a pair of players, Abby Wolter with a game-high 21 points and Caitlyn Thole with 19 points and nine rebounds.

St. Ambrose's only lead came early in the contest (8-4) before the Saints (4-3, 1-0) rattled off the next seven points to take the lead for good.  A Le'lani Harris three-pointer started the unanswered run with her three-pointer, while Johnson capped it with her basket.

The Saints never led by less than five points after the eight-minute mark of the second quarter with the exception of when St. Ambrose pulled to within 60-56 with 5:39 remaining in the contest.  Johnson made sure it did not get any closer with three baskets down the stretch and a pair of free throws from Talia Pellegrini.

USF gained its biggest lead in the third quarter when it went up 55-41.  Shooting 50 percent both in that quarter and in the second period enabled the Saints to turn a 13-10 first-quarter lead into a 55-44 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

For the game, St. Francis shot 44.6 percent from the field (25-of-56), while St. Ambrose turned in a 35.9 percent effort (23-of-64).  The Saints were also good at the foul line, converting 12 of their 15 attempts (80 pct.).

Notes: Kennelly's 11 rebounds are the highest total for a Saint player this year, tying her with Harris, who had the same amount in the season opener … Johnson's 20 points came in just 20 minutes of action as she sat 13 of the first 20 minutes in foul trouble … Johnson's best scoring quarter was the final one, where she netted 11 points … The Saints are back home next Wednesday when they host Trinity Christian College in a CCAC matchup.       

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