TEANECK, N.J. (Jan. 23, 2010) – After a dismal start to the game, the Saint Francis women's basketball team shot just 27.8 percent from the field as they fell in a close match up to the Knights of Fairleigh Dickinson 53-50 on Saturday evening at the Rothman Center in Teaneck, N.J.
The Red Flash now fall to 4-4 in the conference, and 7-11 overall. They will return to DeGol Arena for a three-game home stand that starts when they host the St. Francis NY Terriers on Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Stokes Center.
Jasmyra Saunders started the scoring off, sinking a three-pointer for the Knights less than 45 seconds in. Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) went to the free-throw line for SFU, sinking two before Mariyah Laury put up two for FDU to put the Knights up 5-2. Saunders scored twice more, but the Red Flash fought back with a layup from Shene Fleming (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade Julienne) and two more at the line by Leach to keep the deficit at three.
Allison Daly (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) and Allannah Driscoll-Sbar traded layups before Nickia Gibbs (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) was fouled and came away from the line with two-points. A jumper from Britney Hodges (Dayton, Ohio/Mount de Chantal) (Dayton, Ohio/Mount de Chantal) put Saint Francis within one, and a three from the senior guard put them ahead by two.
After FDU tied it up again, Allison Smith (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) gave the Red Flash a two-point lead, and minutes later would sink a free-throw to put SFU in front by three. Free-throws from Leach and Gibbs made it a five point lead before Alyssa Mayrose put up two to bring the advantage back down to three. However, a jumper from Smith, who had a career-high nine points, made the score 24-19 at the half.
Laury knocked the lead down to three with a jumper to start the second half and Mayrose tied it up 25-all minutes later. Three points from Hodges at the free-throw line kept SFU ahead by three with 16:25 left to go.
Smith and Mayrose traded layups to keep SFU in front by three, but a jumper and free-throw by Laury tied it up with 14:06 remaining. Neither team would score for the next four minutes, until a free-throw by Quinessa Johnson (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) ended the drought. The teams traded buckets and leads for the next few minutes with FDU coming out the victor on a three-pointer from Laury that put the Knights up by four. Another three a minute later would but the FDU lead at seven. Driscoll-Sbarr brought it to nine at the free-throw line.
Fleming and Leach shrunk the deficit to six on the floor and at the line, while Daly cut into it even more with a layup. Jenna Strich was sent to the charity stripe with 4:03 remaining, putting the Knights up by six again before Johnson sunk two to bring SFU within four.
After another scoreless stretch, Johnson brought home a point at the line, but the Knights scored three to keep the lead at six. Laury sunk two more at the line before Brittany Lilley (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) sunk a last-second jumper that beat the buzzer, but couldn't win the game as the Red Flash dropped the 53-50 decision.
None of the Red Flash players scored in the double-digits. Smith, making her first career start, led the way with nine points and eight rebounds. Leach and Hodges each put up eight points, with Hodges added five rebounds and five assists. Daly also had eight points and grabbed six boards.
Johnson and Leach each pulled in seven rebounds as SFU was out-rebounded 52-51. The team committed just 11 turnovers to FDU's 16. Ten of the Knights turnovers were steals by SFU.
Laury had 20 points, while Mayrose had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Saunders had 10 points as the Red Flash bench outscored the Knights' reserves 21-4. FDU shot 29.2 percent from the field.
Neither team shot above 15 percent from beyond the arc.
