Late Push Not Enough for WBB at Albertus Magnus

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- The Mitchell College women's basketball team closed out 2019 with a 67-58 loss at Albertus Magnus College on Tuesday night in non-conference action at The Nest.

Amina Wiley scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Mariners dropped to 4-6 on the season. Le'Sandra Turner added a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds to go with a pair of assists and four steals, and Kelsey Hernandez chipped in seven points, five rebounds and two steals.

The Mariners got off to a good start as Sam McKenna scored her team's first five points of the game to give the visitors an early 5-2 edge just 40 seconds into regulation. Albertus and Mitchell battled through three ties until a jumper from Shyla Osmond put the Falcons ahead 11-9 with 4:03 left in the first quarter. Two more Albertus baskets, including a long three-point jumper by Katherine Raposo, brought the score to 16-11 at the 2:08 mark. The Mariners stormed back, however, ending the first quarter strong to cut the deficit to two.  

Raposo and the Falcons pulled away in the second quarter, as Raposo nailed her second long three-pointer of the game to spark a 12-4 surge that saw the Falcons' lead rise to 28-19. Later on the Mariners went on a quick four-point run, cutting the lead down to five at 28-23. The Falcons quickly retaliated and finished the half on a 9-2 push, capped by a trio of Rah-Rah Thompson lay-ups, to take a 37-25 lead into the break.    

The Mariners started the second half by cutting the deficit to five with 5:15 remaining in the quarter. The Falcons answered back by putting together an 11-2 run to take a 50-36 advantage with 1:54 left in the third. Kyah Nowlin sparked the late rally with a pair of three-pointers. Lay-ups by Cassie Couture and Thompson brought the Falcons' lead to 52-38, before Raposo ended the period with a short jumper, bringing the score to 54-39 to start the fourth. 

Osmond opened the fourth quarter with a quick jumper to bring the score to 56-39. An Osmond steal, sandwiched by Raposo and Thompson lay-ups, gave the Falcons a 17-point lead at 60-43. After the margin ballooned to 20, the Mariners closed the gap behind an 11-0 run in the final five minutes that included seven points from Wiley and three from Jordan Lohneiss. However, Mitchell eventually ran out of time, and Albertus improved to 8-2 on the season.

Thompson finished with game highs of 18 points and 17 rebounds to pace Albertus. Osmond tacked on 14 points and 13 rebounds while Raposo and Couture contributed 10 points apiece.

Mitchell will next host New England College on Saturday, January 4 at 1 p.m.