Box Score Despite a six-point half-time advantage, the Saint Peter's University women's basketball team (0-13, 0-2 MAAC) was unable to maintain their lead, and fell, 56-47, to Loyola University ( 6-7, 1-1 MAAC) this afternoon.
The Peacocks managed just 2 points in the first 11 minutes of play in the second stanza, while they were out-scored 15-2 during that time. Saint Peter's were able to tie the score at 44, but a 12-0 run by Loyola sealed the deal for the hosts.
The six-point half-time lead marked just the second time his season that the Peacocks held a lead at the intermission. The first and only other time was against FDU on December 8th. The contest would also result in a defeat for Saint Peter's (55-50).
Kristal Edwards finished with a team-high 17 points, before fouling out in the last two minutes of play.
Aziza May contributed 8 points, 8 rebounds (tying her career-high) and 3 assists. Kaydine Bent also finished with 8 points, despite seeing just 12 minutes of action due to foul trouble.
The Peacocks led Loyola 8-3 heading into the first media timeout, and expanded their lead to six following a long two by Kristal Edwards nearing the fourteen-minute mark.
Edwards proceeded to knock down 3-4 free throws in the next two minutes to make the score 13-4 in the Peacocks' favor. Loyola managed to cut the deficit to six on two separate occasions, but four consecutive Saint Peter's points reopened a double-digit advantage at 8:31.
After an offensive drought by both teams, Loyola's Diana Logan drained a three from the left wing to cut the visitors' advantage to three (19-16).
Edwards again had the answer for the Peacocks, swishing a trey of her on the following possession to regain a six-point cushion. Saint Peter's maintained the advantage to head into the half-time break ahead by the same score.
For the half, the Peacocks shot 31.3% from the field, 16.7% from three and 83.3% from the line. Kristal Edwards netted 13 first-half points to lead the squad.
Loyola was held to a 28% shooting percentage from the field, but did connect on 30.8% of their three-point attempts.
The Greyhounds opened up the second stanza on a 5-0 run to come within a single point (27-26) at 17:55. Saint Peter's aided the Loyola come back, committing 7 turnovers and missing every field goal attempt (0-2) in the first four and a half minutes of play.
At 15:36 Loyola's Katie Sheahin would go 1-2 from the line to even the score at 27; the first time the hosts had tied the game. Another made free throw- this time by Alyssa Sutherland, under a minute later gave the Greyhounds their first lead of the game.
An offensive board and follow-up layup by Lovisa Hagberg on the following possession regained the advantage for Saint Peter's, but Loyola continued to tally seven consecutive points to go in front 36-29.
Hagberg interrupted the spurt knocking down two free throws at 9:31 (36-31), but Loyola forged forward and recorded another 6-0 run to establish a 42-31 lead.
Saint Peter's soon formed a run of their own (8-2), paced by four points by Edwards and Aziza May each. That brought the visitors within three points (44-41) at 5:30, until a trey by Antonia Smith off the dish by May knotted the score at 44 with 3:39 to play.
With 1:29 to play however, the Peacocks leading scorer, Kristal Edwards would foul out.
A three-point field goal by Tiffany Padgett with 2:13 remaining gave the hosts a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest.
As a team, the Greyhounds hit 9-10 attempts from the charity stripe in the last minute and a half of play. The Peacocks went 1-4 from the field during that time, with their last made basket coming off a long distance trey by Smith at the buzzer.
Overall, Saint Peter's shot 28.8% from the floor, 19.2% from three-point range and 80% from the line. The Greyhounds shot 32%, 31.8% and 58.6%, respectively.
The Peacocks were out-rebounded by a 56-47 margin and committed 23 turnovers while forcing 18.
Lovisa Hagberg tied her career-high in rebounds, finishing with 7.
The Greyhounds was led by Nicole Krusen's 12 points.
Saint Peter's returns to action this Thursday as they host Niagara in the Yanitelli Center.
