ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University women's basketball team was edged by Marywood University 70-69 on Wednesday evening in an Atlantic East Conference match-up.
Prior to the game, the Knights honored its two seniors for this season:
Nafisa Saunders and
Mariah Maciejewski. Saunders netted 31 points to lead the Knights. With her 31 points, she has now tallied 570 points this season, setting a single-season program record. Maciejewski tallied 12 points and nine rebounds.
Maia Bryson added 11 points in the game.
Jaylin Ortiz grabbed eight rebounds
It was a tale of two halves. The Knights came out on fire and built a 16 point advantage in the first quarter, 28-12. Neumann held the double-digit lead throughout the second quarter and took a 44-32 lead into halftime.
The Pacers came out of the break and scored the first eight points of the half to pull within four, 44-40. Marywood cut the deficit to two, 46-44, with two free throws when Neumann went scored seven straight points to go back up by nine, 53-44. With less than a minute left in the third, the Pacers made their way back to within three, 55-52. Maciejewski hit a layup just before the buzzer for a 57-52 score leading into the final 10 minutes.
Midway through the final quarter, the Knights held a 65-59 advantage. The Pacers then made their move and scored the next 10 points to take a 69-59 lead with 2:44 left on the clock. Baskets by Bryson and Ortiz tied the game at 69. The Knights went to the free throw line but missed their shot and fouled the Pacers on the rebound. Marywood went 1-for-2 for the one point lead with 24 seconds remaining. Neumann missed the shot on its chance to take the lead and fouled the Pacers again. Both free throws were missed, but with just 1.5 seconds remaining and the clock starting on the missed free throw, time an out and the Knights couldn't get another shot off.
Neumann (12-10, 5-5 Atlantic East) will play its final non-conference game of the season on Saturday when travels to Valley Forge. Action is slated to get underway at 1:00 PM.
