Nov. 11, 2012

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - In a game that featured nine Leopards in the scoring column, the Lafayette women's basketball team couldn't come up with key baskets when it counted to overcome Seton Hall, falling 60-54 on Sunday afternoon.

With an injured Emily Homan still nursing a sprained ankle, junior co-captain Danielle Fiacco and classmate Kelly Loughney controlled the boards, snagging 10 apiece. Fiacco led the Leopards in scoring as well with 13, completing her second double-double of the season. Additionally, Fiacco tabbed six blocks on the evening, piggy-backing off a six-block performance in the team's season-opening win over Loyola Chicago on Friday evening. She is now just five stuffs away from 200 with 195 for her career.

Freshman Jamie O'Hare showed some signs of youth in her second game as a Leopard, recording seven turnovers. However, she did tally eight points, three rebounds and a steal to make up for those mistakes. Junior Madeline Fahan backed up her career-high performance on Friday with a seven point, seven rebound showing on Sunday in South Orange, N.J.

After ­­­­trading scoreless opening possessions to begin the game, Fahan continued where she left off against Loyola Chicago, hitting a three from the top of the circle to give the Leopards the first points of the game. Lafayette hit the glass early as its tenacity and size led to multiple second-chance opportunities.

Lafayette's defense carried over its brilliant defensive play from the second half against Loyola Chicago as well. Seton Hall was stymied for the majority of the half, but found its way late, as it held a three-point lead with 3:57 left before the break. Senior co-captain Alicia Manning came off the bench, providing a spark to go into halftime for the Lafayette offense. Manning hit a shot from the corner and made a pair of key defensive plays to send the Leopards into halftime trailing, 31-25.

Sophomore Linnel Macklin's put-back bucket to open the second half brought the Leopards within four and Fiacco hit a shot from the corner to pull within two before a Pirate timeout. Lafayette's defense was phenomenal to open the half, not allowing a point from Seton Hall until Brittany Morris' trey with 14:48 on the clock.

Freshman Annette Snow made her collegiate debut with just over 11 minutes remaining in the second half with the Leopards trailing, 43-35. Snow grabbed three boards and tossed a couple assists in her first nine minutes for the Maroon and White. The Leopards pulled to within six at 45-39, but gave up a quick bucket before the eight-minute media timeout to go down by eight.

With 1:01 on the clock and the Leopards down by five, sophomore Maddie Peabody found an open spot beyond the arc and drained a three to make it a one-possession game. Unfortunately, the Pirates went 4-4 from the charity stripe in the final minute and iced the game with a final score of 60-54.

Lafayette will try to get back to its winning ways on Wednesday as Villanova makes the trip up the turnpike to Kirby Sports Center to take on the Leopards at 7 p.m.