FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Izabela Nicoletti-Leite hit the tying and go-ahead free throws with 0.4 seconds left on the clock to lead the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team to a nail-biting 54-53 victory over Mount St. Mary's at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The pair of free throws capped a crazy last second of the game that featured a turnover, a technical foul, and five made free throws.
 
"We sure like to make it interesting," Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis said. "I'm really proud of our resilience when things weren't going our way. I'm real proud of Kate Peek and Mackenzie Daleba stepping in and giving us a huge boost off the bench. Hopefully we're going to be the best team in the league in late game with all of our experience in several games coming down to the wire. I'm really proud of our team for pulling it out."
 
The Stags held a 52-50 lead with 1.4 seconds left in the game, and then the action started. Following a Fairfield turnover, the Mountaineers got the ball back with 0.7 seconds left on the clock. The road team would misfire on a 3-point attempt but was fouled, setting up three free throws. However, right after the call was made the Mount St. Mary's bench was assessed a technical foul which granted two free throws for the Stags.
 
Michaela Harrison hit all three of her free throw attempts setting the stage for Nicoletti-Leite to tie or win the game. With her first attempts of the game, Nicoletti-Leite hit both from the charity stripe to give the Stags the nail-biting win. Nicoletti-Leite would finish nine points, 11 rebounds, and tied her career-high with six assists.
 
The Stags held all the momentum heading into the final quarter as they tallied a 15-0 run to turn a 38-33 deficit to a 48-38 lead. Kate Peek started the stretch with a 3-pointer which was followed by a Mackenzie Daleba putback off an offensive rebound. Callie Cavanaugh and Janelle Brown would each hit a field goal and Peek would follow with a corner 3-pointer to increase the lead to 45-38.
 
With one second left in the third quarter, Daleba was awarded two free throws and after missing the second, she got her own rebound and converted the second chance bucket to give the Stags a 48-38 lead heading into the fourth.
 
Fairfield almost saw that lead evaporate as they tallied just four points in the first 9:59 of the period. Cavanaugh hit a jumper to put the Stags up six at 50-44 at the 5:46 mark.
 
The Mount would go on a 6-0 run to tie the score, but the Stags would take advantage of what looked like a final chance. With 33 seconds on the clock, Brown grabbed a crucial offensive rebound and would eventually hit the go-ahead layup with 16 seconds left to set up the final plays of the game.
 
Cavanaugh led the Stags with 13 points, the 51st time in her career she has reached double figures. For the second-straight game, Brown grabbed double-digit rebounds, including the crucial offensive board in the final seconds. Peek would add a career-high nine points while going a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc.
 
The win improves the Stags MAAC record to 7-3 to keep them in a three-way tie for third in the MAAC standings.
 
The Stags will be back in action at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena when they welcome Canisius on Saturday at 2pm.