Gainesville, Fla. - Freshman guard Ashley Dennis (Bexley, Ohio) scored 14 points in her Stetson debut and the Hatters shot over 40 percent from the floor as a team but it wasn't enough as host Florida defeated Stetson 85-63 Saturday at the O'Connell Center in the season opener for both squads.  Sophomore guard and former Gator Kerri Simpson (Charleston, Tenn.) scored 12 points in her return to Gainesville.

Dennis knocked down five of nine shots and three of four free throw attempts and added one rebound and one steal.  Junior forward Jessica Conner (Cocoa, Fla.) tallied eight points and nine rebounds with a career-high four steals.  Junior center Daphnee Frieson (Mobile, Ala.) proved an intimidating force in her first game for Stetson with eight points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.  Freshman guard Dashauna Truss (Jacksonville, Fla.) chipped in nine points for the Hatters, who shot 56.3 percent from the field in the second half (13-23) but were ultimately undone by 26 turnovers.

Jennifer George had 21 points and five rebounds off the bench to lead Florida, who entered the game receiving votes in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today preseason polls.  Point guard Jordan Jones scored 17 points and dished out five assists.  Guard Steffi Sorensen scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds and ripped off six steals.

Stetson scored the game's first basket and led 7-4 with four and a half minutes elapsed, but a 26-9 Florida run over the next 10 minutes put the game out of reach at 30-16.  Florida scored the final seven points of the first half to take a 44-25 lead into the locker room.  The Gators led by 20 points or more for much of the second half, winning by 22.

The Hatters take the court at the Edmunds Center for their home opener Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Saint Leo; Live Stats and Hatter Vision with Bill Topping and Dee Romine on the call are both available at www.GoHatters.com, the official online home of Stetson Athletics.