NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The MAAC-leading Iona Gaels used a 14-0 run and out-scored the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team 27-6 in the fourth quarter to take a 66-55 decision over the Stags. Fairfield had led for 27 minutes entering the final period before the Gaels were able to rally.
 
Callie Cavanaugh's layup at the 5:46 mark gave the Stags a 53-47 advantage but Fairfield was not able to score for five minutes while tallying 11 turnovers in the final five minutes.
 
Iona's Kate Mager, who entered the game second in the NCAA in 3-point percentage, hit back-to-back trifectas to give the Gaels the lead at the 3:23 mark.
 
The Stags actually had their largest lead of the game at 10 points with nine minutes to go but would go 1-for-13 until the final minute of the period.
 
The Stags controlled the play for the first three quarters, mainly by their hot-shooting as they connected on six of their first nine attempts from 3-point range.
 
Fairfield got the shooting party started with a Lauren Beach 3-pointer which also gave them their first lead of the game at 3-2.
 
Fairfield would take a five-point lead when Janelle Brown connected on the first of her three 3-pointers in the first half to put the Stags up 17-12.
 
The Stags would continue their shooting barrage as their next three field goals were all from long-range as Brown would swish through a pair surrounding a Kate Peek 3-pointer. Brown's last 3-pointer also started a 7-0 run for the Stags which gave them their largest lead of the half at 30-23.
 
That hot-shooting would continue on the very first play of the third quarter as Peek drained a 3-pointer just 14 seconds into the second half.  
 
Peek would connect on two more crucial 3-pointers as she hit a corner three off a nice pass from Mimi Rubino and then swished through another trifecta in the final minute of the third quarter.
 
Cavanaugh completed the scoring in the quarter as her layup with eight seconds left gave the Stags their largest lead of the game at 10 points at 49-39.
 
The Gaels would start their rally by using a 6-0 spurt to cut their deficit to four until Cavanaugh was able to grab an offensive rebound and muscle her way for two.
 
That would be the final bucket for the Stags until Rubino drained a jumper in the final minute.
 
Cavanaugh led the Stags with 14 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Rubino recorded her fourth-straight double-digit game with 13. Peek would tally a career-high with 12 points while going 4-for-9 from 3-point land.
 
Six different Stags recorded an assist, with Lauren Beach leading the way with four dimes. She also led the Stags with nine rebounds.
 
Fairfield won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding Iona 42-29, including 17-8 on the offensive glass.
 
Fairfield will return home for a brief stay at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena when they welcome crosstown rivals Quinnipiac on Saturday at 2pm. The women's basketball program will be celebrating their Play 4 Kay contest with proceeds and donations going to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.