ALBANY, NY- The Pace University women's basketball team lost to the College of Saint Rose in a Northeast-10 Conference match-up, 69-64. The Setters drop to 6-2, 4-2 in the NE-10, while the Golden Knights improve to 7-0 overall, 4-0 in conference play.
Pace and Saint Rose played a close first half as neither side could take control of the game. Late in the opening period, the Golden Knights used a 16-8 run to open up a nine-point lead. The Setters rallied to cut the lead to seven and trailed 43-36 at the break. Liran Buchris (Massad, Israel/Great Neck South) led the way for Pace with nine points of her 11 points in the opening period.
The Setters opened the second half on an 8-2 run to cut their deficit to one. Hannah Sheppard (Norwich, CT/Norwich Free) and Ashley Wallace (Oswego, NY/Oswego) each scored four points to rally Pace. The Golden Knights responded with a 12-2 run to open up an 11 point midway through the final period. The Setters would not go quietly as they used a 13-2 run to tie the score at 59 with 7:12 left in the game. The Golden Knights extended their lead to three but Stephanie Klingele (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) went 1-for-2 from the charity stripe and Buchris nailed a jumper to tie the game at 62. Saint Rose scored five unanswered points to lead 67-62 with 1:18 remaining. Jauna Andrews (Augusta, ME/Cony) scored on a lay-up to cut their deficit to three but Saint Rose's Linsey Onishuk converted both shots from the free throw line with under 10 seconds left in the game to push the lead back to five and allow the Golden Knights to post the win.
For the Setters, Andrews led the way with 15 points off the bench, shooting 7-for-12 from the field. Sheppard recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards, while Wallace chipped in 12 points and four rebounds. The Setters shot 47.2% from the field and held the advantage on the boards, 43-35. Pace held the Golden Knights for a 33.8% shooting and 24% in the second half.
The Setters return to action on Monday, December 11, when they host Adelphi University in a non-conference match-up for a 7:00 pm tip-off.
