RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Despite holding Manhattan to 23 points on a .226 shooting percentage over a 20 minute stretch, the offense of the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team could not match that defensive intensity as the Stags fell 55-44 to Manhattan at Draddy Gymnasium. In the loss, the Stags shot just .268 from the field, including a 4-for-21 mark from behind the arc.
 
Unlike in their previous meeting, the Jaspers (10-14, 6-7 MAAC) were the team to jump out in front early. The Jaspers would shoot 73 percent from the field in the opening quarter and ended the quarter on a 10-0 run. That allowed a slim 8-5 advantage to turn into an 18-5 sizeable lead. In that first period, the Stags (10-14, 7-6 MAAC) shot 2-for-11 from the field and did not tally a field goal for the final 6:27.
 
That field goal drought would extend until the 6:29 mark of the second quarter when Kendra Landy snapped the streak with a drive to the hoop. Fairfield would chip two points off their 13-point first quarter deficit as Samantha Cooper scored the final points on the half with 17 seconds left.
 
The Stags defense tried to keep the team in the game during the second quarter, holding the Jaspers to a 4-for-14 shooting percentage with Casey Foley picking up two steals in the period.
 
Fairfield would cut the Manhattan lead to single digits at the 1:39 mark of the third quarter when Sam Kramer connected on a corner 3-pointer right out of the inbounds pass.
 
Once again the Fairfield defense allowed the Stags to creep back into the contest as they held the Jaspers without a field goal for the final 6:17 of the third quarter, but Manhattan would connect on seven free throws over that stretch to take a 41-29 lead into the final period. The Jaspers would hit just two field goals in the quarter, going 2-for-17 from the field.
 
Manhattan would find their shooting groove early in that final period as Amani Tatum scored the first five points of the period to extend the Jasper lead to 46-29.
 
Cooper led the Stags with 19 points and 10 rebounds while Macey Hollenshead led the defensive charge with three steals. With those 19 points, Cooper reached 1205 career points, bringing her into 18th on the program's all-time scoring list.
 
Kristen McLaughlin also chipped in defensively with a career-high three blocks.
 
The Stags will return home to host Marist on Valentine's Day. The Wednesday night contest will start at 7pm.