WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS TO SAINT MICHAEL'S, 78-74

COLCHESTER, VT - In their final regular season road game, the Pace University women's basketball team dropped a Northeast-10 Conference match-up to the Purple Knights of Saint Michael's College, 78-74, this afternoon at the Ross Sports Center in Colchester, VT. The loss snaps Pace's five-game winning streak. The Setters are now 19-7 overall, 14-7 in the NE-10, while the Purple Knights improve to 11-14 overall and 8-13 in conference play.

Saint Michael's led for most of the first half, building a nine-point advantage on three different occasions, before taking a 41-37 lead into the break. The Purple Knights benefited from a hot shooting hand as they shot 55.2% (16-for-29) from the field, including 3-for-7 from three and 6-for-10 from the free throw line. Michelle Otey led Saint Michael's with a team-high nine points going 4-for-5 from the field. The Setters were able to hang around with the help of Ashley Wallace (Oswego, NY/Oswego) (Oswego, NY/Oswego) and Taylor Losey (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) who scored 10 points apiece in the half. Wallace went 5-for-7 from the field, while Losey hit 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. As a team, Pace shot 46.9% (15-for-32) from the field, including 6-for-10 from downtown. 

The Purple Knights continued to build on their advantage as they pushed their lead to double-digits in the second half. Saint Michael's led by was many as 10, their highest of the game, on four different occasions.  Down by 10, 69-59, with 7:08 remaining in the ballgame, the Setters used a 15-6 run, cutting the Purple Knights lead to one, 75-74, with 39 seconds remaining. Stephanie Klingele (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) led the run scoring eight of the 15 points. Saint Michael's would score the final three points of the game, ending any comeback attempt.

Wallace led all scorers with a game-high 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from the line, to go along with five rebounds. Liran Buchris (Massad, Israel/Great Neck South) (Massad, Israel/Great Neck South) added 15 points shooting 5-for-10 from the field, including 3-for-7 from three, while dishing out a team-high four assists and grabbing five rebounds. Losey finished the afternoon with 14 points on 4-for-7 shooting from downtown, while Klingele chipped in with 11 points, all in the second half. Stephanie Rossmy (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) recorded a team-high six rebounds.

Leading the way for the Purple Knights was Dani Rayner who dropped a team-high 18 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field, including 2-for-4 from three, to go along with six rebounds. Jevy Rayner was the only other Purple Knight in double figures, scoring 13 points on 6-for-12 shooting, while adding a game-high seven rebounds. Meg O'Shea dished out a game-high seven assists, to go long with nine points and five rebounds.

Saint Michael's held the rebounding edge, 39-35.

The Setters return to action for their final regular season home game on Tuesday, February 20th, when they host the #13 ranked Yellow Jackets of American International College in Northeast-10 Women's Basketball action. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Seniors Liran Buchris (Massad, Israel/Great Neck South), Ashley Wallace (Oswego, NY/Oswego) and Hannah Sheppard (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) will be honored before the game as part of Senior Night.