LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – Siena out-scored the Stags 15-6 in the third quarter giving the home side a double digit lead that the Stags could not recover from in dropping their first road game against Siena since 2011 with a 67-52 setback.
Both sides presented and executed an efficient game plan during the first quarter with the Stags (3-4, 0-1 MAAC) hitting five of their first eight shots and the Saints connecting on four of their first 10 attempts. As usual, the Saints' (2-3, 1-0 MAAC) high pressure full court defense presented some problems for the Stags, but the team was able to find a way through it. Fairfield had just two turnovers through the first 10 minutes of play and was able to share the ball with five players getting in the scoring column during the first quarter. Kristine Miller scored four-straight points for the Stags to hold their lead and Sam Kramer looped a layup as the buzzer sounded to put an end to the first quarter. The pass from Kendra Landy came when the guard saw five seconds on the shot clock and threw a long pass to the freshman underneath the basket. Kramer was able to pump fake a shot and still finish in time before the buzzer sounded, giving the Stags a 20-14 lead after the first period.
Besides for limiting the turnovers, a big reason why the Stags were able to control was their focus on the boards. Samantha Cooper nearly out-rebounded the Saints by herself during the first quarter as Cooper tallied eight boards compared to nine for Siena.
The Stags were able to extend that lead momentarily in the second quarter but Siena senior Megan Donohue led a 6-0 run for Siena that enabled the home side to tie the game at 24-24. The teams were alternated baskets for the next minute and the Stags kept the lead throughout the first half until Anna Lunquist connected on a 3-pointer to give Siena their first lead of the game with 2:45 left in the second quarter. The Saints were able to up that one point advantage when Deja Rawls scored with 42 seconds left and gave Siena a 33-30 halftime lead.
Besides the go-ahead 3-pointer by Lundquist, the Stags defense once again stepped up by holding Siena to a 2-for-12 shooting clip from behind the arc including a 1-for-4 mark from Jackie Benitez, who came into the game as the nation's leader in 3-pointers per game.
Cooper's hot play during the first half kept the Stags afloat as she recorded a team-high 11 rebounds and also chipped in six points and four assists.
Siena's offense came alive in the third quarter and out-scored the Stags 8-2 during the first 3:30 of the third period. Another Lundquist 3-pointer gave Siena their largest lead at 41-32 and forced a Fairfield timeout. The beginning of that third quarter proved to be the difference of the contest as the Stags were out-scored 10-2 during the first 6:23 of the quarter. Miller broke the Fairfield drought by scoring four-straight points but the Stags were not able to dig themselves out of the hole.
Carey led the Stags with 16 points, her seventh-straight game reaching double figures as she become the first Stag to accomplish that feat since Katie Cizynski in the 2013-14 campaign. Cooper was the all-around threat for the Stags and finished with her first double-double of the season with career-high 16 rebounds and 11 points. She also added five assists.
Donohue led the Saints with 18 points while the nation's leader in 3-pointer field goals, Benitez tallied 10 on 2-for-12 shooting from the arc. The Stags did a good job defending the arc as the Saints shot just 7-for-29 from long range. In their last two games, Fairfield has held their opponents to an 11-for-45 (.244) clip from deep.
The Stags will continue MAAC action when they welcome the reigning MAAC Champions Iona to George Bisacca Court on Sunday at 2pm.
