PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia University women's basketball team opened the 2012-13 season with a hard-fought 56-52 non-conference win over Lincoln (Pa.) University Saturday afternoon the Gallagher Center.

In her first collegiate contest, freshman center Tori Arnao (Newtown, Pa./Archbishop Wood) was a rebounding machine as she corralled 21 of Philadelphia's 58 rebounds to go with 11 points. Arnao produced the Rams' (1-0) first 20-rebound game since Jessica Romano grabbed 20 against Bloomfield on Feb. 7, 2009. It is the most rebounds in a game since Alisha Ferguson's 24-rebound performance on Nov. 15, 2006 versus Concordia (N.Y.).

Junior guard Samantha Morris (Wenonah, N.J./Deptford) had a solid first half with 11 points, on 4-of-7 shooting, on her way to a career-high 15 points.

Senior forward Kristen Blye (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown) contributed eight points, 12 rebounds and a career-high four steals. Junior guard Megan Finn (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) dished out a game-high five assists and tied her career-high with six rebounds.

Lincoln (Pa.) (0-1) received 15 points, eight rebounds and three steals from Denyse Moore. Cynthia Johnson came off-the-bench to pour in nine points. Mfon Ekanem grabbed 11 of the Lions' 51 rebounds.

Morris scored seven points during a 12-0 Ram run to give Philadelphia a 21-10 lead with 7:15 left in the first half. The Lions responded late in the half with a 7-1 surge over the final 2:05 to cut the Ram advantage to 25-22 at the break.

The Rams never trailed in the second half but were threatened throughout the final 20 minutes. After Johnson connected on one of her two three-pointers to tie the score at 31, Philadelphia outscored Lincoln 14-5 over a 4:52 span to reclaim a nine-point lead at 45-36.Lincoln fought back as it rattled off seven straight points, capped by a Moore lay-up with 6:34 left to pull within 45-43.

Philadelphia tried to pull away when Finn canned a jumped to give the team a 51-44 lead with 2:50 left, but Lincoln answered and closed with two at 54-52.

Sophomore guard Monica Schacker (Doylestown, Pa./Germantown Academy) sealed the win by hitting two free throws, for two of her eight points, with 1.4 seconds left.

Both teams struggled shooting as Philadelphia connected at a 29.3 percent (17-of-58) clip, and Lincoln shot 26.0 percent (20-of-77). The Rams were a 54.8 percent (17-of-31) shooting team at the free throw line, while the Lions were 7-of-10.

Philadelphia welcomes the University of the Sciences to the Gallagher Center for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m.