PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – On Saturday afternoon, Pace University Women's Basketball was unable to fully recover from a difficult opening stretch, falling 59–44 to Saint Michael's College at the Goldstein Fitness Center. The Setters battled throughout the final three quarters, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome as the squad moves to 6-10 overall, and 2-5 within the Northeast 10 Conference.

Saint Michael's set the tone early, opening the game on a decisive run as Pace struggled to find rhythm offensively. The Setters were limited to just two points in the opening quarter, allowing the visitors to build a 14–2 advantage. Pace continued to compete defensively, but Saint Michael's carried momentum into the second period and extended the lead to 35–14 by halftime.

Pace showed a strong response coming out of the locker room. Anisa Akinola and Ciara Collins helped spark the offense in the third quarter, combining to score from inside and the perimeter as the Setters began to chip away. Collins knocked down a three-pointer midway through the period, and Pace outscored Saint Michael's 13–10 in the quarter to cut into the deficit heading into the final 10 minutes.

The Setters continued to push in the fourth quarter, turning in their most productive offensive frame of the afternoon. Pace shot efficiently and outscored the visitors 17–14 in the period, highlighted by aggressive drives from Collins and finishes in the paint from Akinola. Despite the late surge, Saint Michael's answered key possessions and closed out the contest at the free-throw line.

Collins led Pace with 23 points and eight rebounds, shooting 9-of-22 from the field and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. Akinola followed with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while Cali Chiocchi added 10 rebounds and five assists.

The Setters look to bounce back on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. with an in-conference home meeting versus the Falcons of Bentley University.