FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team limited the league's best offense to a .385 shooting percentage and just 1-for-12 from behind the arc, but that strong defensive effort was not enough as the Stags fell to Marist 56-46 on Saturday.
 
The Stags (3-11, 0-3 MAAC) held around in the first half and trailed by just two points, 22-20 at the intermission. Sam Kramer led the offense with a trio of 3-pointers over the first 20 minutes to lead all players with nine points.
 
Although Marist (11-5, 3-1 MAAC) could not pull away from the Stags during the first half, the Red Foxes were able to keep the lead after a Willow Duffel lay-up made the score 6-5 in favor of the road team.
 
The Stags would tie the score three times during the first half, starting with a fast break 3-pointer by Kramer capping off a 5-0 run. A Khadidatou Diouf lay-up with 1:21 left in the first quarter also knotted the score at 12-12.
 
Marist's biggest lead over the first half was six points after Rebekah Hand netted the first bucket of the second quarter, but the Stags would fight back. Another Kramer 3-pointer tied the score at 20-20 with 2:46 left in the half, but Hand's jumper one minute later would be the final points of the half.
 
During that second quarter, the Stags held Marist to just six points as the Red Foxes hit just three of their 14 shots, including one of their first 10 attempts.
 
The Stags would score just four points over the first 7:30 of the third quarter, allowing Marist to extend a two-point halftime lead into a 12-point advantage after a pair of Alana Gilmer free throws.
 
Fairfield managed to claw back to make the deficit single digits, cutting the Marist lead to seven after a Lou Lopez-Senechal 3-pointer at the four minute mark of the fourth quarter, but could not get any closer.
 
Katie Armstrong was the lone Stag in double figures as she finished with 10 points, eight of those coming in the final quarter. She also led the Stags with seven rebounds and a career-high four assists. Only five other Stags entered the scoring column with Kramer's nine first half points ranking behind Armstrong.
 
The Stags will return to play on Tuesday at the George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall when they welcome over 1,500 local school kids to cheer as they take on Saint Peter's at 11am.