FAIRFIELD, Conn. – This time the shots did not fall. For the second-straight game, the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team had a chance to take a late lead but last second shots from Lou Lopez-Senechal and Sam Kramer were off the mark, allowing Dartmouth to escape with a 52-51 win over the Stags. The loss drops the Stags to 1-3 on the young season while Dartmouth improves to a perfect 3-0.
 
In a game with nine lead changes and four tied scores, the Stags had a slim advantage in the fourth quarter. Callie Cavanaugh made the score 44-43 in favor of the Stags with a fast break layup with 6:45 left in the contest. There would be three more lead changes in the next minute, however, with Rachel Hakes' layup giving the Stags their final lead at 46-45 at the 5:37 mark.
 
Dartmouth got the lead back on their next possession on a terrific feed from point guard Annie McKenna as she found Allie Luce inside for a layup. The Big Green took a two possession lead with a 3-pointer from Karina Mitchell but Andrea Hernangomez hit a big answer back 3-pointer on the next possession.
 
The Stags trailed by one at 52-51 after another Hernangomez layup with 2:33 left in the contest. As they did late in the game against LIU, the Stags' defense clamped down and did not allow another point for the remainder. The Stags forced three turnovers over that span with Hakes and Kramer picking up crucial steals.
 
However, the Stags could not cash in on the offensive end, missing their final four shots. Lopez-Senechal, who hit the game-winner at LIU, was called on again late in the game but her shot rimmed out. Hakes fought hard in the paint for an offensive rebound, giving the Stags one more chance, but their shot with two seconds left fell short.
 
Fairfield owned the largest lead of the game when they a 37-27 lead on a Katie Armstrong bucket with 5:19 left in the third quarter. Dartmouth would respond by scoring the next 14 points and would not allow another Fairfield point until Kramer's buzzer beating layup to end the third quarter.
 
The Stags held the lead for the majority of the time in the first half, and had not trailed since a Kramer 3-pointer at the 6:23 mark of the first quarter. In fact, the Stags led for 15:49 of the first half compared to just 36 seconds for Dartmouth and led 29-25 in the locker room.
 
Armstrong led the Stags with 13 points and tied for the team lead with six rebounds. Armstrong was the only Stag to reach double figures, even though Kramer neared the mark with nine. Kramer also joined Hakes by pacing the Stags with four assists. One of those dimes was the 200th assist in Kramer's career.
 
The Stags will have nearly two weeks off before their next contest when they travel to Rhode Island to play URI on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 2pm.