EASTON, Pa. – Lafayette rallied for a 60-59 victory over Loyola on Wednesday night at Kirby Sports Center. Backcourt tandem Abby Antognoli (21) and Teresa Kiewiet (15) combined for 37 of the Leopards' points as the Leopards snapped a five-game losing streak.

Kiewiet finished the evening with career highs of 15 points and 11 rebounds on her way to recording her first career double double.

The Maroon and White got off to a hot start, taking an 8-0 lead after Kiewiet completed a three-point play from the charity stripe. Loyola responded immediately with a 9-0 run, garnering a 9-8 lead (2:18) thanks to a driving layup by Laura Salmeron. Antognoli and Kiewiet both saw a shot fall in the final two minutes of the first to give the Leopards a 12-9 advantage.

Lafayette kept its foot on the gas in the second quarter, jumping out to a 21-14 lead. Avery Simmons cut the Greyhounds' deficit to five points (26-21) with a layup, but a triple by Antognoli with 3:58 to go handed the Leopards an eight-point lead (29-21). Lily Bottomley (five) and Meliah Van-Otoo (three) combined for an eight-point spurt to tie the game at 29 apiece at the intermission.

Salmeron hit a three right out of halftime, but Kiewiet started a 9-2 run for Lafayette that was finished off by an Antgonoli jumper to take a four-point lead (38-34). With 2:42 to play in the stanza Loyola shot the lights out and went on a 12-0 spurt, led by Salmeron's 11 third-quarter points. With 10 minutes to go in Easton, the Greyhounds were in front, 46-38.

The Leopards completed an extraordinary comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring the visitors 22-13 in the session. With 6:30 remaining in the contest, the Maroon and White trailed 51-45. A four-point play by junior guard Sauda Ntaconayigize cut the lead to two points, but Bottomley came back down the other way and got a layup to drop. Senior guard Halee Smith hit a big three at the 5:20 mark and a three-point play by Antognoli tied the contest at 55-55 with 4:41 to go.

The next three minutes were scoreless, until a jumper by Antognoli and Kiewiet free throws gave the Leopards some breathing room (59-55) with 31 seconds left. Van-Otoo buried a clutch triple with 12 seconds left on the clock, leaving Loyola to intentionally foul. Ntaconayigize was the Leopard at the line and she split her free throws, to give Lafayette a two-point lead (60-58). Van-Otoo had a chance to tie the game from the charity stripe with four seconds remaining, but a miss on her second attempt created a live ball and Bottomley's desperate heave didn't fall.

At the final horn, Lafayette moved to 2-5 in Patriot League play and Loyola 1-6. The Leopards are back in action at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday as they travel across town for Rivalry108 versus Lehigh.
 

To keep up with the Lafayette women's basketball team, follow its social media pages.

X/@Lafayette_WBB | Instagram/@lafayettewbb | Facebook/GoLeopards