BOSTON, Mass. - With the Leopards two leading scorers unable to make the trip due to an illness, Lafayette battled but fell on the road at Boston University, 56-49. Senior Linnel Macklin led the Leopards with 12 points.

Harriet Ottewill-Soulsby tallied nine points and eight rebounds for Lafayette (11-12, 4-8 PL). The Terriers (5-18, 2-10 PL) were led by Mollie McKendrick's game-high 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Ottewill-Soulsby scored four of the Leopards first eight points, as Lafayette opened the game on an 8-1 run. Ashley Lutz knocked down a deep jumper to extend the lead to 17-4 midway through the first half. A 9-2 spurt from Boston U cut the margin to six at the 5:51 mark of the opening frame, and the Leopards went into the break with a 19-13 advantage.

The Terriers scored four of the first six points of the second half to cut the deficit to four, but Macklin answered with back-to-back threes for the Leopards to extend Lafayette's lead to 10 with 17 minutes to play.

Meghan Doogan knocked down a three for the Terriers to trim the edge to three with 14:11 on the clock. The BU rally continued as the Terriers took a three-point lead, 30-27, at the 11-minute mark.

A Brya Freeland free throw slowed the Terrier spurt, but Boston pushed its lead to six with 9:26 to play. Peabody's dish to Annette Snow under the basket sliced the deficit to four, but four quick points from the Terriers made it 38-32 with 7:25 remaining.

Maddie Peabody found a cutting Ottewill-Soulsby on the fast break with six minutes to trim the BU lead to five. Peabody connected from three, followed by a midrange jumper from Macklin to make it a two-point game with 4:27 to play.

Boston countered with a three from the corner, extending its lead to 45-40. Brya Freeland knocked down a three and drew an offensive foul with 3:17 on the clock, and the Leopards were within four, 47-43.

At the 2:18 mark, the Terriers knocked down a pair from the free throw line to extend their advantage to five. Ottewill-Soulsby's offensive board and bucket cut the deficit to 50-46. Freeland's lay-in with 42.4 seconds to play made it 51-48.

The Leopards forced a turnover on Boston's next possession. Freeland knocked down a free throw to trim the spread to two, 51-49. Boston's Troi Melton four free throws in the final 20 seconds and the Terriers escaped by a 56-49 margin.

The Leopards return to College Hill on Wednesday night against Loyola.

Notes:

Sammy Stipa made her first career start.

Emily Homan and Jamie O'Hare missed the game with an illness.