Nov. 27, 2011
Box Score
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -
Danielle Fiacco scored 18 of her game- and career-high 23 points in the second half as a rally by the Lafayette women's basketball team against Monmouth fell short on day two of the Thanksgiving Challenge. The Leopards, who trailed by as many as 18 points, trimmed the deficit to three points with under five minutes to go but could not overtake the Hawks in a 58-54 defeat.
The loss snaps a two-game winning streak for the Leopards, who now stand at 2-4. Monmouth has won back-to-back games to improve to 2-3.
Fiacco's 23 points, which came on 11-for-22 shooting from the field, are the most by a Leopard since Cristin Zavocki '09 had 26 against Morgan State on Jan. 2, 2008. Fiacco also ripped down a game-best 10 rebounds to complete her third double-double of the season. The 6-7 sophomore filled out her statline with five blocks, improving her total to 30 rejections through six games.
Joining Fiacco in double figures was Emily Homan, who set a pair of career standards with 13 points and eight rebounds. Sarah McGorry added eight points off the bench, Madeline Fahan netted four. Brya Freeland, Kristan Liddle and Ashley Springer rounded out the Lafayette scoring with two points apiece.
Fahan and Homan each grabbed eight rebounds as the Leopards held a 48-44 advantage on the glass. Lafayette converted 15 offensive boards into 19 second-chance points.
A back-and-forth battle in the opening minutes saw the Leopards claim an 11-10 lead, but Monmouth made the game's first run - a 16-2 stretch that gave the Hawks a 26-13 advantage. Lafayette would not climb back within single figures for the rest of the half, heading into the locker room trailing, 36-19.
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The Lafayette offense was much more effective in the second half, but with 11:45 remaining the Leopards still found themselves facing a sizeable deficit at 50-32. At that point, three buckets from Fiacco fueled a 10-0 run the margin to 50-42. The spurt grew to a 17-2 stretch, as a pair of Freeland free throws brought Lafayette all the way back to within a possession, down 52-49. However, the next four points went to Monmouth, extending the cushion back to seven points at 56-49 with 3:29 to play. The Leopards' defense would not allow a field goal for the rest of the contest, but Lafayette was hampered by a 1-for-4 showing at the line in the closing minutes as the Hawks hung on for a 58-54 win.
Betsy Gadziala scored 14 points for the Monmouth - all in the first half - to lead the Hawks. Alexis Canady joined her in double figures with 11 points in addition to eight rebounds and seven assists.
The Leopards are back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at Penn. The Quakers won at Niagara today, 55-41, to improve to 3-1.
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