The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team lost, 62-52, versus Quinnipiac University, Monday, Jan 29 at the Rothman Center in Hackensack, NJ. Senior guard Gayle Coats (Richmond, VA/Gertrude) (Richmond, VA/St. Gertrude) netted a career-high 16 points ? on the strength of a career and FDU season-best five three-pointers ? as the Knights slipped to 7-13 on the year and 4-6 in the Northeast Conference.
The Bobcats (12-7, 6-4 NEC) were led by the inside-outside combination of forward Monique Lee's (Lynn, MA/Lynn Classical) double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, in addition to a game-high 23 from guard Erin Kerner (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst).
FDU freshman forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) tallied 10 points and eight rebounds.
Altamirano hit the offensive glass and notched a put-back at the 15:29 mark, creating a 10-5 deficit. Senior forward Mercedez Walker (Stratford, CT/Bunnell) (Stratford, CT/Bunnell) scored a deuce in the paint amidst a 5-0 run.
Coats drained three trifectas on back-to-back-to-back possessions, as the Knights chipped away to knot the contest, 19-19, with 10:29 remaining. Coats then fed sophomore forward Katie Warehime (Littlestown, PA/Littlestown) (Littlestown, PA/Littlestown) who connected on a jumper from the left baseline at the 9:27 mark and Fairleigh Dickinson jumped ahead, 21-19.
“Gayle really stepped up for us tonight and put together a big game,” Head Coach Sandy Gordon said. “We weren't able to replace the production of Jen (Walkling) and her double-doubles.”
Junior guard Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage) (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage) penetrated the paint and kicked out to freshman guard Jordan Sykes (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) who splashed home a 10-footer on the right baseline to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, Kirkland canned a fadeaway from the left elbow with 4:47 left, again leveling the game, 25-25.
The Knights continued to score in bunches, with Altamirano pulling up in the lane to regain the advantage, 27-25. Quinnipiac answered before Altamirano collected another lay-in via the offensive boards.
A technical foul with 2.7 seconds remaining in the initial 20 minutes handed the Bobcats two opportunities at the charity stripe and QU took a 33-31 lead into the break. Coats registered nine points, in addition to eight points and six boards by Altamirano. Kerner had 12 points, with Lee adding six points and eight boards.
Quinnipiac opened the second-half on a 12-1 run, before Altamirano hit a one-handed attempt on the right block to end a 7:28 scoring drought from the field that encompassed both halves.
“Unfortunately for us the first five minutes of the second-half, we didn't convert anything,” Gordon said. “It went from a two-point game to 10 real quick.”
Kerner kept the heat on with a three-ball, but Coats answered with a pull-up from downtown. Warehime went off glass despite a hoop and the harm, then finished off the three-point play, bringing things to 48-40.
Coats popped a three-pointer with 10:54 remaining, followed by a deuce down low courtesy of Warehime, capping off a 7-0 surge, but Quinnipiac would press on to pull away.
The Knights travel to Robert Morris University at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Feb. 5. The Colonials defeated home-standing FDU, 66-57,on Jan. 13.
