BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Saint Peter's women's basketball team earns the first conference victory of the 2025-26 season in amazing fashion, winning 61-49 over the Canisius Golden Griffins on Friday at Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
Jayshlynn Vega put on an absolute show in the victory. Scoring a team best 23 points, tied for the most by a player on the Peacocks this season, and the most by a freshman for Saint Peter's since 2019. Vega was unguardable, causing significant trouble for Canisius, going to the line nine times and converting eight free throws in the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: Nikola Zdenkova began the scoring for the Peacocks with a monster triple from the corner.
Louella Allana added to the total with a 3-pointer of her own from the top of the arc. Heading into the media timeout, the Peacocks found themselves down 6-14 to the Golden Griffins after some stellar 71.4 percent shooting from the floor. Coming out of the timeout, Vega began to carve up the Canisius defense, scoring multiple times at the line. The Peacock defense held strong and limited Canisius to a score of 9-16 to end the first.
SECOND QUARTER: De'Naya Rippey scored the first basket of the second with a tough layup inside. However, the Golden Griffins ripped off a five point run in just two minutes to send the score at the media timeout to 11-21. Zdenkova got the first points for the Peacocks after the timeout, with a long 3-pointer. Vega continued to dominate in the paint by drawing fouls and converting twice at the free throw line.
Reilly Sunday also earned a basket after a great spin jumper to free up the defender.
Layla Laws and Vega kept the scoring coming for the Peacocks with a mix of points in the paint and free trips to the line. By the end of the half, the Peacocks had stormed back to make the score 24-27
THIRD QUARTER: Carys Roy and Rippey started the second half with a pair of big time baskets inside before
Eszter Turi got the Peacock bench on their feet with a massive and-1 to take the lead. Vega cashed in on a mid range jumper halfway through the third to make the score 33-29. After the timeout, it was once again Vega continuing to push the offensive tempo driving inside and converting on a massive and-1 with Sunday and Rippey adding points at the free throw line for good measure. By the end of the third, the Peacocks once big lead had shrunken thanks to solid perimeter shooting by Canisius, with the score entering the fourth 41-40.
FOURTH QUARTER: Zdenkova, like the first quarter, scored the first basket before adding another with shots from downtown. Vega entered into overdrive, scoring the next five points by herself with a pair of baskets inside and a free throw. After a Rippey layup inside, the Peacocks held on to a 54-46 lead. With around three minutes left in the fourth, the Peacocks put the nail in the coffin with buckets coming from Allana inside and Vega knocking down a deep 3-pointer. With Sunday cashing in twice from the line, the deficit was just too large for Canisius to come back from, securing the win for Saint Peter's with a score of 61-49. Helped by a massive fourth quarter scoring 20 points in the final 10 minutes alone.
UP NEXT: The Peacocks will stay in New York as they travel to Niagara to battle the Purple Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 19
