CHESTER, Pa.- The Neumann University women's basketball team fell to Widener University 75-69 on Tuesday evening for its first loss of the season.
 
Nafisa Saunders put up 35 points for the Knights, including four three-pointers and going 9-for-12 from the free throw line. Minika Glenn netted 15 points and tallied seven rebounds while Mariah Maciejewski led Neumann defensively with eight rebounds and three blocks.
 
All quarters were a battle with the teams scoring only a point difference in three out of the four. There were six lead changes and a handful of tied scores throughout the 40 minutes.
 
The Pride took a 15-6 lead midway through the first quarter. The Knights came back and tied the game at 17 on a three-pointer by Glenn. Saunders gave Neumann a 19-17 lead. Widener ended the first quarter with a three-pointer for a 20-19 lead after the first 10 minutes.
 
In the second quarter, and Widener holding a 26-23 lead, Neumann went on a 9-0 run to take a 32-26 lead. The Pride answered with a run to tie the game at 35. Both teams traded free throws to end the quarter and the score was knotted at 38 at the half.
 
The third quarter started like the rest of the game and a layup by Maciejewski kept the Knights within two, 56-54. The Knights were kept off the board for the final two minutes and the Pride scored five points to take a seven point advantage, 61-54, into the final 10 minutes.
 
The Pride continued its run to start the fourth quarter and held a 12 point lead, 66-54, two minutes into the final quarter. A layup by Saunders broke the scoreless drought for the Knights. Widener took a lead a large as 13 in the quarter and led 73-60 with 3:38 left in regulation. Neumann scored six straight points and Saunders hit a three-pointer with seven seconds remaining, but it could not overcome the deficit and dropped its first contest.
 
Neumann (4-1) will head to King's College on Saturday for a non-conference match up beginning at 3:00 PM.