FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team fought back all game long and saw their hard work rewarded as they grabbed a one-point lead with less than three minutes left in the game, but William & Mary would end the contest on a 7-0 run which resulted in a 60-54 decision over the Stags on Sunday.
 
Sam Lewis was the Stag (2-5) to score the go-ahead basket after grabbing an offensive rebound and converted her lay-up to give the Stags a 54-53 edge at the 2:53 mark of the fourth quarter. The Stags did what they needed to on defense, allowing only one field goal for the rest of the contest, coming off a 3-point field goal by the Tribe's (4-3) leading scorer Bianca Boggs to regain the Tribe lead at 56-54.
 
Fairfield would not score again in the contest and William & Mary would make their final four free throws to seal the win.
 
The Stags would grab the lead in the fourth quarter after rallying from an eight-point second half deficit early in the third quarter. Facing their biggest deficit of the game at 39-31 midway through the third quarter, Fairfield would tally the next seven points of the game to get back within a point. Casey Foley was the sparkplug in the run, starting the stretch with a lay-up and also recording a steal, leading to a Khadidiatou Diouf jumper to close the run. Both of those plays were sandwiched between a Katie Armstrong 3-pointer.
 
Fairfield stayed within striking distance until the halfway mark of the fourth quarter as a Diouf traditional 3-point play swung a 49-48 deficit into a 51-49 lead.
 
In what was a loud Alumni Hall, the fans were on the edge of their seats throughout as neither side could grab a sizeable lead. The Tribe gained the largest lead of the first half at just five points, but the Stags were able to erase that deficit on a Kendra Landy shot clock beating 3-pointer for an early 13-12 advantage.
 
That bucket was the start of an 8-2 Fairfield run that extended their lead to four points on another Landy lay-up and a 3-pointer by Sam Lewis.
 
Diouf led the Stags with 17 points as she joined Armstrong and Foley in double figures. She also tied with Foley for a team-high in rebounds with seven. Sam Kramer controlled the offense with a game-high six assists.
 
The Stags are back in action on Wednesday when they welcome Northeastern to Alumni Hall at 7pm.