GARDEN CITY, NY – The Pace University women's basketball team stormed back from a 13-points halftime deficit to take a second half lead, but the Setters we upended by the NYIT Bears 70-65 in their season opener on Friday night.

Gabriella Rubin led Pace (0-1) in her collegiate debut with 20 points, 18 of them in the second half. Jaclyn Oskam contributed 13 points for the Setters while Yuni Sher and Margo Hackett chipped in with 12 points each, with Sher pulling home 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Rachel Dortch also ended in double-figures in rebounds with 10.

Trailing 40-26 just over a minute into the second half, Pace started their comeback in earnest. Three-pointers by Rubin and Oskam plus a layup by Sher helped the Setters to pull to 42-34. Following an NYIT (1-0) basket, Pace ripped off a 7-0 run thanks to a pair of free throws by Rubin and a triple by Hackett before capping the rally with a Dortch jumper to make it 44-41 with 12:51 remaining in the contest

In a game of runs, the Bears countered with a 9-0 spurt of their own to go up 53-41. NYIT would eventually push out to a 61-51 lead with 5:43 remaining. Undaunted, Pace went on a 13-2 run, capped by a pair of Rubin free throws to go up 64-63 with 2:29 to go. The Bears had the final word, however, scoring seven of the game's final nine points.

It is a short turnaround for the Setters as they will face off against LIU Post on Saturday at 3:30 pm in Garden City, NY.