POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – They might not have come out victorious, but there were smiles on the sidelines. Of course the team was disappointed with the loss, but the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team showed heart and energy they can build on because they never gave up. The Stags cut a 24-point Marist lead to seven following a hot shooting second half, but the deficit was just too much to overcome as the Stags fell 71-63 at the McCann Arena.
 
The Stags (6-10, 3-2 MAAC) shot 55 percent in the second half to cut the deficit to single digits on a Kendra Landy bucket at the 5:05 mark of the fourth quarter to make the score 62-54. Fairfield would get within seven after a Sam Kramer 3-pointer late in the game.
 
The Stags had to scratch and claw throughout the final 20 minutes just to get back into the game, and they were able to inch closer from behind the arc. Fairfield hit seven of their first nine shots from deep with Kramer hitting all four of her attempts and Casey Foley connecting on three of her four shots. Foley put the Stags within single digits for the first time since the first quarter when her triple made the score 61-52 with 5:46 left in regulation.
 
The seven points would be the closest the Stags would get as Marist did just enough to hold on for the final score.
 
Their second half was inspired because the Stags were coming off a first half where they could not get any offensive rhythm, hitting just 23 percent of their shots (7-for-30) and a 1-for-12 showing in the first quarter. That allowed Marist (8-9, 4-1 MAAC) to record a game deciding 19-0 run that spanned from the first and second quarters.
 
Fairfield would go over eight minutes without a point with Erika Schlosser breaking the skid at the 9:01 with a 3-pointer.
 
Fairfield was able to put the ball in the basket more successfully in the second quarter with six different players getting in the scoring column. Aside from Schlosser's long range shot, the Stags got 3-pointers from Samantha Cooper and Sam Lewis in the frame.
 
However, the Stags could not get the momentum from their offense as Marist had another impressive quarter shooting the ball, hitting 54 percent of their shots to open up a 40-19 lead at the half, before Fairfield started their comeback.
 
Kramer led the Stags with 14 points, all coming in the second half. Foley (12 points), Samantha Cooper (11) and Landy (10) were the four Stags to reach double figures in the contest. Cooper completed her conference-best eighth double-double of the season with a game-high 14 rebounds. Khadidiatou Diouf was also big on the boards finishing with 10. The duo combined for 24 of the team's 36 rebounds.
 
Landy controlled the offense through the good and bad times, finishing with seven assists on just one turnover.
 
The Stags are back in action on Monday on the George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall when they host Saint Peter's at 1pm.