Penmen hang on to beat women's basketball

SPRNGFIELD, Massachusetts – The American International College women's basketball team fell 58-52 to Southern New Hampshire University in a Northeast-10 Conference matchup on Wednesday, January 4.

AIC is now 6-6 overall and 4-3 in NE10 play.

The Yellow Jackets made the game's first two shots, buckets by Taylor Tomlinson and Tia-Marie Martinez. The duo ultimately combined for 11 points, including a Martinez three, forcing a Penman timeout with 3:50 left in the first and AIC up 11-4. The stoppage worked, as the visitors scored the last eight of the quarter. 

Out of the break, the Penmen went up 14-11 as Jess Knight hit a jumper. That started a trade of points, with the lead changing hands eight times over the course of the quarter. The Penmen picked up to a 30-24 lead, but Kayla Robinson and Nora Young both scored baskets before halftime, cutting the deficit to 30-28. 

In the third, Tomlinson started things off for AIC with an and-one; the Penmen reestablished their lead from there and were able to keep AIC behind in the quarter despite several baskets; Tomlinson beat the quarter buzzer on a shot set up by Julia Carbonell Munoz to get AIC within a 42-41 margin after 30 minutes.

The Penmen started quickly in the fourth, hitting two threes on the first two possessions to go up 48-41, and ultimately led by as much as a dozen. AIC closed to within 54-52 after Young hit a three with 0:37 left, but the Penmen hung on for the win.

Tomlinson led the game with 23 points and led AIC with seven rebounds. Martinez scored 10 points and dished six assists.