WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Lafayette College women's basketball team fell to American University in the Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinals, 54-48, on Monday night to conclude its 2021-22 season.
 
The Leopards were led by senior Naomi Ganpo who tied her career-high 16 points and freshman Abby Antognoli who also totaled double-figure points with 13. Senior Makaila Wilson led the team's rebounding effort with 15.
 
Ganpo put in the first bucket of the game to put Lafayette up 2-0 early in the game. American (21-8, 13-5 PL) responded a few seconds later with a layup to tie the game up 2-2. Antognoli put in a jumper to put Lafayette ahead by a bucket, 4-2, and then Ganpo put in a bucket to give Lafayette a four point lead.
 
The Eagles responded with a three-point bucket to pull within one, 6-5. Antognoli responded with a three-pointer to push Lafayette back up by four, 9-5. American then tied-up the game at nine points each with 4:30 left to play in the first quarter.
 
The two sides traded buckets until the score was knotted at 13-13. American put in a layup to take a 15-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
 
The Eagles continued their scoring run, netting the first points of the second quarter to take a four-point lead. Wilson drew a foul and made both of her extra shots from the charity stripe to pull Lafayette back within two, 17-15.
 
The Leopards put in back-to-back baskets to take a 19-17 lead with 6:28 left to play in the quarter. American countered with a 5-0 run to take a 22-19 lead before it was freshman Kylie Favours and freshman Claire Gallagher who put in back-to-back baskets to give Lafayette a 23-22 lead.
 
American responded with a three-pointer to take a 25-23 lead, but sophomore Makayla Andrews put in a jumper to tie the game and then drew and and-one, making her extra shot to send the game into halftime with Lafayette leading 26-25.
 
The Eagles took a 28-26 lead at the start of the second half before Ganpo tied up the game at 28-28 with a layup. American responded with a 4-0 run to take a 32-28 lead. Lafayette once again tied up the game, 32-32, before American put in a three-pointer and from there took control of the rest of the quarter to send the game into the final 10 minutes of action ahead by one, 39-38.
 
American drew a foul to start off the fourth quarter, making both extra shots to put the score at 41-38. Wilson put in a jumper to pull Lafayette within one, 41-40, but the Eagles followed up with an 8-0 run to take a 49-40 lead.
 
Ganpo and the Eagles traded buckets until the score stood at 51-42 with 2:27 left to play in the game. Booth and Antognoli than each put in a basket to pull Lafayette with three with 26 seconds left on the clock.
 
American was able to hold Lafayette scoreless for the final seconds of the game, putting in three more shots from the charity stripe, to earn the 54-48 victory and advance to the tournament semifinals.
 
The Eagles were led by Emily Johns who totaled 14 points while fellow Eagles Jade Edwards and Emily Fisher added 10 apiece. Edwards led the way in rebounds with nine.
 
Lafayette finishes its 2021-22 season with a 12-18 overall record and 7-11 mark in Patriot League action.