Buffalo, N.Y. – The Molloy women's basketball team wrapped up its Western New York swing Sunday afternoon at D'Youville University. The cardinal and white fell, 66-57, inside Saints Center Gym. The Lions move to 12-13 overall and 5-7 in East Coast Conference play, while the Saints improve to 8-15 overall and 6-8 in league play.

How it Happened

• After trading baskets through the opening 2:13, junior Casey Campo and senior Samantha Muller netted layups to put Molloy ahead, 10-6, midway through the first stanza.
• Back-to-back three-point field goals from the Saints pushed them ahead before junior Colleen McCullagh brought the contest back to all square, 12-12, with 2:06 to play in the first quarter.
• Junior Sophia Yearwood capped the first 10 minutes of action with a three-point shot to give the Lions a 15-14 lead going into the second quarter.
• The second quarter was an offensive struggle, as both squads combined to net five field goals and score eight points per side. The contest headed into halftime with Molloy in front, 23-22.
• The offense picked up coming out of the locker room as the squads went bucket-for-bucket in the third quarter. A layup from junior Rosa Rizzitelli gave the Lions a three-point advantage, 31-28, with 6:42 left in the stanza.
• For the remainder of the third quarter, the Saints outscored the visitors 15-6, shooting 63 percent from the floor while holding the Lions to just two field goals.
• The home team would take a six-point lead, 43-37, into the fourth quarter.
• Yearwood started the final stanza with a three-point basket to cut the deficit in half, 43-40.
• The Saints responded with consecutive three-point field goals to give themselves a nine-point cushion, 49-40, with 8:41 remaining.
• The pesky Lions would catch fire from the floor over the next three minutes of action, rallying to a 8-0 run sparked by McCullagh, who netted six points to bring the road team within one, 49-48, midway through the fourth quarter.
• D'Youville fired right back and answered with a 14-6 run over the next four minutes, shooting five-for-five from the field to open its largest lead of the afternoon, 63-52, with 1:37 left on the scoreboard.
• The cardinal and white would net the next five points, but would run out of time and fall, 66-57.

Top Performances

• Hipper led the Lions by scoring a career-high 16 points while securing nine rebounds and collecting four blocks.
• Muller tallied 13 points and three rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the field.
• Rizzitelli brought down a career-high 15 rebounds.
• McCullagh added 12 points in 26 minutes off the bench.
• Senior Janel Moore tied a game-high five assists.

Up Next
Molloy returns to Rockville Centre, Wednesday, February 19 for an ECC match up against St. Thomas Aquinas beginning at 5:30 p.m.