EASTON, Pa. - Junior guard Abby Antognoli and her backcourt partner Makayla Andrews combined for 27 points in the team's loss on Monday evening in Kirby Sports Center. Kaci Donovan led four Monmouth players in double figures with 17 points, while shooting 60 percent from downtown.

The visiting Hawks jumped out to an early 15-0 lead in the opening minutes thanks to six different scorers. A bucket from sophomore guard Kay Donahue (four points) cut the Leopards' deficit to 18-6 with 1:40 remaining in the quarter. Neither team scored in the last 100 seconds, as the Hawks held a 12-point lead after 10 minutes.

A three-pointer by Antognoli trimmed Monmouth's lead to 11 points with 7:54 to go in the half. Back-to-back buckets and a free throw from senior forward Kayla Drummond brought the Leopards within eight with just less than six minutes left in the frame. The Hawks caught fire in the final five minutes, going on a 12-2 run to take a 38-19 lead at the intermission.

Monmouth outscored Lafayette 19-16 in the third quarter, grabbing its biggest lead of the game (23) with 8:40 to go. During the period, the Hawks snatched six more rebounds and shot 64 percent from the floor on 11 shots.

For the game, Monmouth hit 50 percent from the field, 52.4 percent from downtown and 90 percent from the foul line, compared to 42, 31 and 57 percent for the Leopards. The visitors out-rebounded Lafayette 33-18 and led wire to wire.

Monmouth advances to 5-4 overall while the Leopards move to 4-6 on the season.

Lafayette is back in action on Dec. 21 as it travels to Dartmouth for an 11 a.m. tip-off for its final game of 2023.