STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Women's basketball secured a 56-53 victory on Wagner on Thursday. Teresa Kiewet (15) and Talia Zurinskas (14) combined for 29 points in the win.

Kiewet and Sauda Ntaconayigize  gave the Leopards an early 5-0 lead in the first quarter. Wagner rallied back shortly after, courtesy of three points from Irene Fernandez de Caleya. Kiewet led the team offensively throughout the remainder of the quarter, collecting five points. With 3:27 in the first, the junior guard rose up to knock down a three, pushing the Maroon and White's advantage to 10-5. The hosts tallied three more points before the period came to a close, cutting into the deficit (10-8). The Leopards' defense was stifling in the first quarter, allowing the Seahawks to shoot 16.7% from the field. 

The Maroon and White gained momentum in the second quarter, taking a 25-18 lead into halftime. Lafayette shot 40 percent in the period, with Kiewet and Zurinskas tallying five points. The Leopards drained two 3-pointers in the quarter, both of which came with less than four minutes to play before half. With the score knotted at 14-14, Rosie Scognamiglio drilled a shot from downtown. Down the stretch, Wagner trailed by four points prior to another three from Zurinskas with 30 seconds remaining (25-18). As the first half drew to a close, the Leopards held a lead for 17:58.

The Seahawks started to find rhythm in the third quarter, racking up 15 points to Lafayette's 13. Keana Foz and Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor netted five points each. With 9:23 in the third, Kiewet glided to the rim for a layup and a 27-18 lead. Wagner ignited with a 12-2 run immediately that gave them a 30-29 advantage with 3:42 left. Lafayette countered with a nine-point stretch of its own, powered Haylie Adamski. Adamski made two of her three attempts and provided five points during the spurt. The Leopards took a 38-33 advantage into the fourth. 

Lafayette converted 50 percent of its field goals to hold on to a 56-53 final. Adamski, who led the Leopards in threes, went 2-for-2 from beyond the arc in the period on her way to 13 points for the game. Tasha Chudy pulled down 10 of the Maroon and White's 30 rebounds, and grabbed three boards in the final quarter.

Lafayette travels across the state for a 7 p.m. game on Tuesday at Pitt.


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