Poughkeepsie, N.Y. -  The Fairfield University women's basketball team returned to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Saturday, falling 73-43 to defending league champion Marist College at the McCann Center.  The loss drops the Stags to 10-4 overall and 0-3 in league play, while the Red Foxes improve to 13-2 on the year and 3-0 in conference action.

The Stags struggled from the floor to start the second half, hitting just 3-9 in the first seven minutes, as the Red Foxes began to pull away.  The Red Foxes shot 16-27 from the field in the second half, 11-18 to start the half and led by as many as 31 points (71-40) at the 1:42 mark.  Fairfield was 5-28 from the floor in the second half and committed 10 turnovers

The duo of Rachel Fitz and Meg Dahlman provided 37 of the Red Foxes point total, combining to shoot 15-22 from the field in the win.  Fitz led all scorers with 21 points, while Dahlman finished with 16.  Erica Allenspach was also in double figures in the game, with 11 points.  The Red Foxes out rebounded the Stags 42-30 for the game and 12-10 on the offensive glass.

Baendu Lowenthal took the Stags first free throws of the game with 12:16 remaining in the game, hitting both, to make the score 46-33 Marist.  She finished the game with seven points, and seven boards, as well as two blocked shots. Sabra Wrice was the only Stag in double figures, with 11 points, to go along with two rebounds, two steals and two assists.

The 73 points scored by Marist is a season-high by a Fairfield opponent, surpassing the 71 scored by Saint Peter's.  The Stags point total was their lowest total of the year, with 43, having scored 45 in a loss to Villanova on Nov. 28.

The Stags did not score in the game until Wrice knocked down a baseline jumper with 16:44 left in the first half, after opening 0-2 from the field with three turnovers.  Marist opened a 6-0 lead during that time, but Wrice scored a fast break lay-up at 16:20, and Megan Caskin hit a three-pointer at 15:47 to give the Stags a 7-6 advantage.  The run reached 10-0 with a Lauren Groom three-pointer, before Rachele Fitz ended the run with a conventional three-point play for the Red Foxes.

Marist took an 11-10 lead and the teams exchanged baskets, resulting in a 15-15 tie at the 10:32 mark.  Marist broke the tie with 10 straight points, as the Stags went through a five minutes scoring drought, before a Wrice three-pointer with 5:27 to play in the half, made the score 25-18.  That started a 10-7 run to end the half for the Stags, who trailed by seven at the intermission, 32-25.

The Stags continue their five-game road swing next week with a pair of games in Western New York.  Fairfield will play at Canisius on Thursday, Jan. 10 at noon, and then at Niagara on Saturday, Jan, 12 at 2 p.m.