HAMDEN, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team dropped their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) contest of the season as they fell 81-36 to the two-time reigning conference champions Quinnipiac. The Bobcats, who came in as the top defensive team in the conference was stifling on the defensive end holding the Stags to 27 percent from the floor and commit 26 turnovers.
 
The Stags had solved the Quinnipiac defense early, grabbing the upper hand as freshman Lou Lopez-Senechal would net the first four points of the game to give the Stags their largest lead at 4-0. After the Bobcats knotted the score at 6-6, the rookie broke the draw with a 3-pointer to give the advantage back to the road team.
 
Fairfield would not trail during the first quarter and led 13-9 after an Andrea Hernangomez basket before two Quinnipiac free throws put the score at 13-11 after the first quarter.
 
The Bobcats would grab the lead in the second quarter before another Hernangomez bucket put the Stags within one point at 18-17. Those would be the final points for the Stags in the half, as the Stags did not score for the final 6:37 before intermission. The Bobcats were able to take advantage and built a 17-0 run to end the half. During that stretch, the Stags missed their final eight shots and recorded five turnovers.
 
Quinnipiac would open up a 36-point advantage late in the third quarter following another 15-0 run to put the game out of reach.
 
Lopez-Senechal led the team with 12 points. Khadidiatou Diouf neared a double-double in the losing effort with eight points and eight rebounds.
 
For the Bobcats, Aryn McClure was at the forefront of the attack with 15 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Taylor Herd led all players with 19 points as she went 5-for-7 from behind the arc.
 
The Stags are back in action on Sunday in Lawrenceville, N.J., to take on the Broncs at 2pm.