FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team erased an early 18-point deficit and was tied in the final quarter, but the Rider Broncs hung on for 68-60 victory at Alumni Hall. Lou Lopez-Senechal led the Stags with 26 points while Katie Armstrong added 16 as the duo combined for 41 points of the team's scoring output.
 
The Stags faced their biggest deficit just nine minutes into the game as Rider jumped out to a 22-4 after the nation's leading scorer Stella Johnson drained a 3-pointer. Armstrong answered back that triple with one of her own to cut the Fairfield deficit to 22-7 at the end of the period.
 
The Stags scored 25 points in the second quarter while shooting 64 percent. Fairfield connected on four-straight 3-point attempts to open the quarter with Lopez-Senechal and Armstrong each tallying a pair. Lopez-Senechal also hit three free throws as she was fouled on a long range attempt.
 
Fairfield was actually able to grab a lead on a Lopez-Senechal jumper, erasing their 15-point deficit in just seven minutes. Stella Johnson and Lea Favre both hit baskets for the Broncs who led by just one at 33-32 going into halftime.
 
Armstrong (12) and Lopez-Senechal (11) combined for 23 of the team's 25 points in the quarter.
 
The third quarter would feature four ties and two Fairfield leads. Their largest lead was just two after Sam Kramer drove to the basket and converted the layup to make the score 41-39. The Broncs tied the game at 44-44 and Lopez-Senechal would give Fairfield their last lead on a layup with 14 seconds left. The Broncs killed the momentum the Stags grabbed with their late shot with a Goodman 3-pointer with two seconds left to give Rider a 47-46 lead in the fourth.
 
The Stags would tie the game one minute into the fourth quarter on a Kendra Landy 3-pointer that beat the shot clock. Gooman would answer right back on the next possession with a triple of her own.
 
Fairfield was behind by just four with under three minutes to play, but the Stags would not hit another field goal until a Lopez-Senechal 3-pointer with 14 seconds remaining. Fairfield went 0-for-5 during that stretch.
 
Lopez-Senechal led the Stags with 26 points and made all seven of her free throw attempts. Armstrong added 15 with a 3-for-7 mark from long range. Andrea Hernangomez showed toughness by leading the team with nine rebounds.
 
The Stags will travel to Manhattan for their final road game of the season on Saturday at 2pm.