Owls hold off women's basketball late push

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College women's basketball opened the home season against Southern Connecticut State University on Tuesday, November 23. The Yellow Jackets fell by a score of 61-58 in the Northeast-10 Conference matchup.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: SCSU 61, AIC 58
Records: AIC moves to 2-2 (0-2 NE10) while SCSU moves to 2-2 (1-0 NE10)
Location: Butova Gym Springfield, Massachusetts

KEY STATS:
AIC
Nora Young: 14 points, seven rebounds
Kayla Robinson: 10 points, two rebounds
Destine Perry: nine points five rebounds, two assists
Sara Guntin Barreiro: nine points, two rebounds

SCSU
Delaney Connors: 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists
Jessica Fressle: 18 points, 15 rebounds
Zoe Amalbert: 12 points, four rebounds, five assists

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Owls controlled the first quarter as they led 16-6 after the first 10 minutes of play.
• AIC started to gain energy early in the second frame as senior Destine Perry hit a pair of freebies eight seconds into the quarter. On the next Yellow Jacket possession, rookie Nora Young added a layup to make it a six-point game.
• Trailing 22-16 with 5:33 remaining in the first half, Young completed the old-fashioned three-point play to make it a one-possession game. Young then stole the ball on the next possession and passed it ahead to sophomore Kayla Robinson who was fouled and hit a pair from the charity stripe.
• After a made pair of free throws from the Owls, graduate Destine Perry hit a jumper and Robinson hit two more free throws to give AIC the one-point lead. With 47 seconds remaining in the half junior Rosa Vreugd hit a jumper that cut the Owl's lead to one at the halfway point.
• The teams battled back-and-forth in the third as they each scored 17 points in the frame.
• The teams were tied at 53 with under four minutes left. The Owls broke the tie at the 3:35 mark with a jumper by Delaney Connors but neither team scored until the Owls did with 42 seconds remaining in the game. Graduate Sara Guntin Barreiro hit a two with 18 seconds left to make it a three-point game, but the Owls hit three of six free throws to take the six-point lead. Guntin Barreiro hit a three as time expired to return it to a three-point game.

UP NEXT

• The Yellow Jackets hit the road to take on Southern New Hampshire University on Sunday, November 28 at 12 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC women's basketball team, follow@AICWBBonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Women's BasketballonFacebook.For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram,and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook