FAIRFIELD, Conn. - In another game that saw the Rams battle it out through the closing seconds on the road, Fordham University women's basketball fell to Fairfield 77-74 Sunday afternoon in Connecticut.
The closing stages of game time would be stretched over the course of several minutes, with three stoppages for replay reviews late in the contest, including the final one with less than five seconds remaining to send Fordham to the free-throw line. Fairfield would hold off the Rams with their own opportunities at the stripe, taking the win by one possession.
Taylor Donaldson led the Fordham offense drilling 25 points including four makes from beyond the arc, while also nabbing six rebounds and two steals. With 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, Mandy McGurk finished second in scoring for the Rams, while Emy Hayford tallied 10 points and six boards, along with four assists.
Despite the loss, the third consecutive by one possession, Fordham assisted on over half of their shots from the floor while shooting an even 40% from three-point range, tied for the second most from three this season with eight on the day. Matching one another on the glass, Fordham and Fairfield stayed neck-and-neck in most categories throughout the game, with six of eight players pulling downs multiple rebounds.
Fairfield would slightly edge the Rams in the opening 20 minutes of action, opening as much as an 11 point advantage as the first half wound down, but the Rams battled back quickly to make it a six point deficit at the break.
Out of the locker room, Fordham tallied 25 points in the third quarter, cutting slightly into the Stags' lead late in the period. With 5:45 to play in the final quarter, Fordham would take the lead on a McGurk three pointer but were quickly answered ahead of the media timeout. Trading buckets down the wire, Fairfield's Meg Andersen tallied the final make from the field for either side with 2:39 to go, at that point giving the Stags at 75-72 lead which they would see out to the final horn.
Fordham women's basketball will have the next 11Â days to turn their attention to the classroom, before returning to action Thursday, Dec. 21 when they take on Virginia in Charlottesville, N.C.
