The Fairfield University women's basketball team won its third straight game, defeating Troy University 55-48 in the first round of the Fordham Holiday Tournament, in the Bronx, N.Y.  The win improves the Stags record to 9-3, while the Trojans fall to 6-6.

After trailing 31-26 at halftime, the Stags opened the second half with a 6-0 run, taking their first lead of the game, 32-31 on a Baendu Lowenthal basket 1:50 into the half.  Troy took the lead right back at 17:47, 33-32, with a pair of free throws from Kylie Morrissy.  The two teams exchanged the lead on the next two possessions, before Fairfield began to pull away.  Leading 38-37 the Stags rattled off an 8-0 run, and did not give up a point for over seven minutes, opening a 46-37 lead.  Troy would close to within five points, 53-48 with 2:26 left in the game, but Sabra Wrice scored with 1:48 remaining to ice the win for the Stags.

The Stags defense was the story in the second half as they held the Trojans to 26.1 percent from the field in the second half, and just 17 points.  Troy was able to hit just 6-23 from the field and only 2-7 from behind the arc, as the Stags came from behind for the victory.  On the flip side, Fairfield, which shot only 31.4 percent in the first half, hit 14-33 from the field (42.4) in the second half.  The Stags also forced 18 turnovers, committing only 15.

Fairfield also dominated the glass in the game, especially on the offensive boards.  The Stags had 45 total rebounds in the game, with 23 on the offensive end.  Troy finished with 28 total boards and only eight offensive.  That advantage led the Stags to a 27-5 edge in second chance points, and a 36-18 edge in points in the paint.

Wrice finished the game as the team's leading scorer, hitting for 16 points, and corralling five rebounds.  Stephanie Geehan had a double-double for the Stags, finishing the game with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Lowenthal finished a rebound shy of a double-double, with 13 points and nine boards, in just 20 minutes.  Geehan had six offensive boards and Lowenthal had eight.

The Stags offense struggled in the opening minutes of the game, starting 0-4 with a pair of turnovers, as they fell behind 9-0, 2:31 into the game.  Lauren Groom put the Stags on the board with a three-pointer at 17:30 (9-3).  The Trojans continued their strong opening run, going ahead 17-7 just six minutes into the contest.

Fairfield would answer from that point, with an 8-0 run, five coming from Lowenthal, to close to within two points, 17-15, at the 12:15 mark.  Troy would lead throughout the first half, but never again by double digits.  Geehan scored seven first half points, as the Stags trailed 31-26 at the intermission.

The Stags will return to action in the championship game of the Fordham Holiday Classic on Sunday at 3 p.m., taking on Mount St. Mary's.  Troy will take on the host Rams in the consolation game at 1 p.m.