MANCHESTER, New Hampshire - Five players scored in double digits as the American International College women's basketball team snapped a brief skid with a 75-68 Northeast-10 Conference win over Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday, January 18.

AIC is now 10-8 overall and 3-7 in the NE10.

Ahliya Phillips scored the game's first basket, but the Penmen charged out to a 17-6 lead six minutes in before Peyton Grant swished back-to-back triples to shrink the deficit. A later three by Ruzgar Christina Boyle pulled AIC within three, and Boyle then set up Keyvanna Bennett for a tying layup with 48 seconds left in the stanza. A free throw gave the hosts a one-point edge after one.

Eden Monka put AIC back in the lead with the first bucket of the second quarter, sparking a back-and-forth. Again the Penmen pulled away and led by 11, but again AIC charged back, starting with a Boyle three that opened an eight-point run as the Yellow Jackets held the home side off the scoresheet over the final 3:52 of the half to come within a 36-33 margin at the break.

The third was a copy of the first two periods, with Reeves tying the game on four straight points and the Penmen responding with a run that put them up eight midway through. Once again, AIC clawed back, with multiple scorers hitting shots, closing with Grant knocking in a three off of a pass from Phillips. AIC trailed 53-50 heading into the final quarter.

The Yellow Jackets could not afford to allow the Penmen to pull away again, and Boyle took charge early in the fourth with five straight points, putting AIC ahead 55-53 by burying a three from Reeves. One possession later, Bennett snared a rebound and sent Grant on a breakaway to lay in two more points. Phillips followed shortly after with a bucket that forced a Penmen timeout.

It was to no avail; though Southern New Hampshire drew within five with just over three minutes to play, Rhaymi Porter found Phillips open for three and the junior made it fall, then followed by swatting a layup away at the other end. The Penmen surged again late, but a Reeves and-one with 52 seconds to play put it out of reach, as did her six free throw makes in the last minute for the 75-68 win.

Reeves led the game with 20 points, joined in double digits by Boyle with 15, Grant with 12, Bennett with 11, and Phillips with 10. Bennett notched an impressive double-double with a career-best 16 rebounds, her third game of the last four with 10 or more rebounds. 

AIC will turn its attention to the second half of the season, beginning with a Wednesday, January 22 battle with Pace University at the Butova Gymnasium at 5:30 p.m.