SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – In a battle between a pair of Tri-State Area rivals, the Pirates took the lead early and never looked back as Fordham University women's basketball fell at Seton Hall, 67-44, Tuesday night.
Nine different Rams would tally a make from the floor, led by eight points apiece from both Irene Murua and Taylor Donaldson, with Donaldson making her season debut against the Pirates. Chae Harris would follow that duo with six points, ahead of five different players with four points apiece. Rose Nelson paced the rebounding efforts for the Maroon and White with seven, ahead of five from both Donaldson and Murua.
Seton Hall took control in the early going, starting the game with a 13-2 outburst in the first quarter, leaving Fordham to fight back the rest of the frame. The Rams quickly mustered seven-unanswered points from there to cut the deficit back to two scores, but the Pirates would still hold a 10-point lead after the first.
Working back into the game through the second quarter, the Maroon and White once again cut the deficit to six points on a Taylor Donaldson three pointer with 5:38 to play, ahead of a late surge by Seton Hall, who drove away to extend a 15-point advantage at the break.
Breaking out of the half with four of the first five makes from the floor, the Pirates continued to pour it on in the second half, extending their biggest lead of the night at 21 points. The two sides traded baskets for the remainder of the third quarter, with the home side leading 54-35 with ten minutes to go.
A dominant effort on the defensive end in the fourth quarter saw Seton Hall hold the Rams off the board for the first six-plus minutes of the period, while pushing their lead even further, ahead of Fordham tallying the final two makes of the night.
The Maroon and White return to the Rose Hill Gymnasium this weekend, hosting Saint Peter's Friday night at 7:30 p.m. on both ESPN+ and SNY.
