LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (Dec. 7, 2023) – For the second time in three days, Fordham University women's basketball went down to the wire on the road, finishing within one possession in a 65-62 loss to Siena Thursday night. The Rams battled back with a strong defensive minded second half, combined with a 35 point-performance as a team in the final 20 minutes of action.
Scoring 22 points for the second time this season, Emy Hayford would lead the Fordham offense as she sank 9-of-16 shots from the field along with a career-high seven steals. Taylor Donaldson would drill 18 as the only other Ram in double figures Thursday night, while she also pulled down eight boards and picked four steals of her own.
As a team, Fordham grabbed 19 steals, their most in a game this season, with Matilda Flood also adding four steals along with nine rebounds, and Taya Davis collected three steals as well.
Siena would break out with the lead in the first quarter, a frame that saw Hayford drill nine of the Rams' first 13 points on the night as she went 4-of-6 from the field in the first 10 minutes of action.
The Rams would win the second quarter, outscoring the Saints by two in that period, while holding the home side to just five makes from the field. Fordham would tally 11 of the final 16 points heading into halftime, cutting the deficit to ten as the teams returned from the locker room.
Starting the second half in dominant fashion on defense, Fordham collected eight steals just in the third quarter alone and forced nine turnovers by the Saints in that period. Holding Siena to just 10 points in the frame, the Rams scored 16 points of their own to draw within four heading into the fourth quarter of play.
The fourth quarter would see the Rams and Saints duke it out from end to end in the quarter, with neither side giving an inch as the final frame began to wind down. Drawing to within two points on multiple occasions late in the fourth, the Rams sank a pair of threes and four free throws in the games final minute, to draw back within one possession at the end.
With one more game on the docket this week, Fordham will head back down to the Five Boroughs to regroup for a couple of days before heading up I-95 Sunday for a meeting with Fairfield at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena, Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
