In a challenging matchup on Saturday afternoon, the women’s basketball team (0-3 overall) fell to East Tennessee State University (2-1 overall) by a final score of 51-43. The Leopards then fell 84-76 in overtime to Marist (2-1 overall) in their first home game of the season.
The game kicked off with a three-pointer from junior guard Abby Antognoli, setting the tone for the contest. Antognoli emerged as a standout performer for Lafayette with her team-leading 17 points. Antognoli showcased her shooting skills, hitting 50 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc.
Lafayette’s strong start also featured senior guard Makayla Andrews, who contributed with two crucial three-pointers, while senior forward Kayla Drummond’s layup helped Lafayette extend its lead to 11-6 with 4:22 left in the first quarter. The Maroon and White maintained a 16-11 advantage at the end of the opening quarter.
Junior guard Halee Smith’s three-pointer gave Lafayette a 19-12 lead early in the second quarter, but ETSU later responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead going into halftime. The Leopards trailed but remained competitive throughout the game.
“We played hard with them and didn’t back down,” Smith said. “We kept fighting.”
Antognoli continued her scoring efforts in the second half, knocking down a jumper to start the third quarter. However, ETSU managed to take a six-point lead by the end of the quarter at 40-34.
Despite the Leopards’ efforts to push the pace on offense, ETSU’s defensive performance and efficient shooting proved decisive in the final moments of the game. Lafayette failed to fulfill the comeback, ultimately falling by eight points.
“We are very invested in continuing our defensive mindset as a team,” Antognoli said. “Our focus is on continuing to improve as a unit.”
The Maroon and White then fell to Marist Wednesday night by a score of 84-76. Antognoli once again led the scoring for the home team with 22 points, while Andrews scored 21 points. Smith added 10 points to the Leopards’ tally. The game went to overtime as the two teams were tied 67-67 when the fourth quarter ended. However, it was Marist who emerged as the victor, winning by eight points.
It was a disappointing result for the Leopards as they led the Red Foxes in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage at 46.2 percent and 48 percent, respectively.
“We want to be a competitor in the league and win, and we are going to do so by showing up everyday and working on the little things,” Antognoli said.
The Leopards will search for their first win of their season against LIU at 2:00 pm on Saturday in Brooklyn, NY.