Box Score

The Fairfield University women's basketball team dropped a 55-41 decision to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Saint Peter's Friday night in Jersey City, N.J.  The loss drops the Stags to 10-12 overall and 4-7 in league play, while the Peahens improve to 9-13 on the year and 5-6 in MAAC play.

Fairfield came out of the locker room firing, knocking down 3-5 on its first three possessions to open the period 9-0 and cut a 15-point halftime deficit to just six, 28-22, in just over two minutes of action.  The Peahens answered with four straight points to snap the Stags run and push the lead back to double-digits, 32-22.  A Stephanie Geehan basket with 16:22 to play made the score 32-24, where it remained for just over two minutes until a pair of Geehan free throws cut the deficit to six points, 32-26.

Saint Peter's pushed the lead back to 15 points, 47-32 with 5:03 to play in the game, its largest lead of the second-half.  The Stags rallied once again however, scoring nine unanswered points in a 3:15 span to get back within six points, 47-41, with 86 second remaining.  It would be as close as the Stags would get as the Peahens scored the final eight points of the contest.

Fairfield did not have a player reach double-digits in scoring for the first time this season as Tara Flaherty led the team with nine points.  Taryn Johnson and Desiree Pina both scored eight points, while Geehan and Katelyn Linney scored seven apiece.  Geehan had a team-high eight rebounds, to go along with four assists, four steals and two blocked shots.

The Stags shot 28.3 percent from the floor for the game, hitting 10-29 in the second-half.  Fairfield was out rebounded 49-28, including a 22-13 deficit on the offensive boards.  The Peahens had a 19-6 advantage in second chance points in the contest.  Saint Peter's shot 35.7 percent from the field for the game, and 13-17 at the free throw line.

Natasha Morris scored a game-high 17 points for the Peahens, while Quiana Porter hauled in a game-high 13 rebounds.  Jynae Judson netted 12 points in the win as well.

The Stags tied the game 2-2 just under two minutes into the game, but it would be their only basket of the first 10 minutes of action.  Fairfield shot 1-11 from the field to open the game, falling behind 14-2, seven minutes into the contest.  Katelyn Linney scored the Stags second basket with 9:57 to play in the half and Tara Flaherty hit 2-2 from the line less than a minute later to make the score 16-6.  Saint Peter's largest lead of the half was 16 points, three times, with the last coming at 26-12 with 2:12 to play in the half.

Saint Peter's shot 42.9 percent from the floor in the opening half and converted eight offensive rebounds into a 10-0 edge in second chance points.  Fairfield had just five turnovers in the half, but shot 0-7 from behind the arc and just 20.8 percent from the floor.

The Stags are back in action on Tuesday when they host Marist College at the Arena at Harbor Yard.  The 7 p.m. contest will be televised live on MyTV9, Channel 59.