PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia University women's basketball team had four players score in double figures as the Rams opened the 2013-14 season with a 90-87 victory over visiting West Chester in a non-conference game on Saturday afternoon in the Gallagher Center.

Junior guard Monica Schacker (Doylestown, Pa./Germantown Academy) scored 23 points, on 7-of-14 shooting from the field including 4-of-8 from 3-point range, to lead the Rams (1-0) in the victory. Senior guard Megan Finn (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) shot 6-of-10 from the field to record a career-high 18 points.

Senior guard Samantha Morris (Wenonah, N.J./Deptford) tied a career-high with 15 points. In her first collegiate game action since March 3, 2012 as a member of the St. Francis Red Flash, sophomore guard Bria Young (Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter) scored 14 points in a reserve role.

Finn hit a transition lay-up to break a 70-all tie and spark an 8-0 run that would put the Rams ahead 78-70 with 5:41 to play. Sophomore forward Alex Heck (Willow Grove, Pa./Archbishop Wood) added four of her game-total eight points in the surge.

Schacker pushed the Philadelphia advantage back to nine (85-76) by knocking down a 3-pointer at the 2:30 mark. West Chester (0-1) closed within a basket thanks to a Sefirat Junaid lay-up with 35 seconds left to make it an 87-85 contest.

The Rams were assured the win when a Dallas Ely 3-point attempt with two seconds left missed long and Finn hauled in the rebound.

Brittany Sicinski went 8-of-17 from the field to record a game-high 24 points for the Golden Rams. Ely had 16 points, while Junaid recorded 11 points and 10 rebounds.

After a first half that featured nine ties and nine lead changes, Philadelphia opened the second half on a 15-2 run to take a 58-43 lead.

Philadelphia shot 45.9 percent (28-of-61) from the field, while West Chester hit at a 43.8 percent (32-of-73) clip. At the free throw line, West Chester was 15-of-24 (62.5 percent) and Philadelphia went 27-of-46 (58.7 percent). The Golden Rams won the battle of the boards 48-43.

Philadelphia opens Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play against visiting Georgian Court on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.