AMHERST – Freshman Yahmani McKayle’s triple-double powered the UMass women’s basketball team past Stonehill, 86-40, during the opening round of the WNIT on Thursday at the Mullins Center.

McKayle bucketed 14 points and added 10 assists and 10 rebounds for the Minutewomen (17-14) in their huge victory over the Skyhawks (17-16). McKayle became the third UMass player in program history to record a triple-double along with Jennifer Butler and Sam Breen and the first freshman to hit the milestone.

“I think that just shows how much this program leaves legacies,” McKayle said. “To be up there with them, that means everything to me. UMass became a home to me and is a home to me. The fact that I did it here is what I’m most proud of.”

The Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year shot 6-for-16 from the floor versus Stonehill and made two of the Minutewomen’s six total 3-pointers.

“The last couple practices Yahmani’s done a great job in transition, continuing to become a better and better player and only scratching the surface,” UMass head coach Mike Leflar said. “Her decision-making tonight was really, really great. Having a feel and controlling the tempo and controlling the pace, it helps us obviously get the lead and get people easy baskets. I’m really proud of that.

“As for the triple-double as a freshman, I mean honestly, well deserved,” Leflar said. “I know how much she cares, how much work she puts in. She’s a baller and I was really excited for her to get it done tonight.”

McKayle made the most points (five) and assists (six) during the third quarter and snagged the most rebounds during the first and fourth quarters (three).

“Meg [Olbrys] let me know that I had seven rebounds [after the third quarter],” McKayle said. “I wasn’t aware of how many assists I had, but people in the crowd were talking to to me as well saying ‘just one more, just one more assist,’ so that’s when I started going for it.”

Olbrys, a junior, had 20 points to lead UMass while senior Stefanie Kulesza tossed in 15 points and senior Allie Palmieri posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Following a five-point first quarter lead (16-11), the Minutewomen shook off the rust and fired in 54 points in quarters two and three, including 33 in the third.

“Getting stops, defensive rebounds and running,” Leflar said on what he thought the team did well in the third. “I think that stretch after [the Skyhawks] called their first timeout in the third quarter, we still went on a 10 or 12-0 run or something like that right after the timeout, because we were just getting a stop and we were keeping things simple, but we were working really hard in transition, out-running them.”

In the third quarter, UMass shot 63 percent on field goals, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 100 percent on free throws.

The Minutewomen also held a hefty advantage in rebounds on Thursday. UMass earned 62 boards, including 29 in the offensive side of the court. Stonehill managed 20 rebounds altogether.

“I’m just really proud of us for stepping up and taking advantage of the opportunity,” Leflar said. “Absolutely showing that we were excited to play and we’re excited for more basketball in front of us. I think that was pretty clear and pretty evident by how we played and how everyone played. There were a couple possessions there in the first half, we would get four or five offensive rebounds. We were not only just the team that was more physical and bigger and stronger, but we were faster to the ball. You always still have to go do it and we did that and inserted ourselves.”

McKayle, Olbrys and sophomore Chinenye Odenigbo combined for 30 of the Minutewomen’s rebounds.

For Stonehill, Breana Delaney’s 15 points paced the visitors, which shot 29 percent as a team on field goals. The Minutwomen were 44 percent from the field on 34 made baskets.

UMass advances to the second round of the WNIT for a matchup against future MAC foe, Buffalo (25-7), this weekend.

The Minutewomen were bounced from the A-10 tournament earlier than they hoped on March 6 by Saint Louis, making the decision to accept the invite to this year’s WNIT an easy one.

“There was just an unwell feeling in our stomach after the Saint Louis game and we wanted any opportunity to change that around,” Olbrys said.

Tipoff for Sunday’s game in Buffalo is set for 2 p.m.