LORETTO, Pa. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's basketball team put forth a valiant effort in its Northeast Conference opener at Saint Francis University, but fell short in a 75-64 road loss Saturday afternoon.
 
The Knights (3-9, 0-1 NEC) outscored the Red Flash (4-9, 1-0 NEC) in the second half, 37-33, and shot nearly 50 percent (6-of-14) from the floor in the first period to start the game, but a scoring drought in the second period helped SFU build a lead and forced the Knights to play from behind the remainder of the game.
 
FDU outrebounded the Red Flash, 38-27, and dished out 18 assists as a team, their most since the season-opening win over Rutgers-Newark (21). The Knights were also solid from the charity stripe, making their first 13 attempts and finishing the night 14-of-15.
 
Senior Madelynn Comly scored a season-high 14 points to lead the Knights, going 4-of-7 from the floor and making all six of her free throws. Freshman Rachael Niles hit four three-pointers to notch a season-high of 12 points to go with three assists, and sophomore Madison Stanley finished with 11 points and seven rebounds to go with two blocks.
 
"We played a solid first quarter, and the way we played in the second half is way we want to play," head coach Peter Cinella said after the game. "We were more aggressive and did a good job getting into our press and get the ball inside a little bit [in the second half]. We outscored them in three quarters, but that second quarter was a rough quarter."
 
"We shot the ball well overall as a team," Cinella continued. "I was also impressed we had 18 assists on our 21 shots. I like that we outrebounded them and we did a good job making free throws. We did a lot of good things, and it was nice to see some people step up and make some shots there like Rachel and Maddie Comly."
 
Junior Lauren Francillon led the Knights with 12 rebounds, her second straight game with double-digit rebounds, and she also totaled eight points. Junior Jenna Clark and senior Natalie Zamora each also recorded three assists, and senior Peniel M'Bikata led the team with two steals to go with four rebounds, three points and two assists.
 
Francillon scored the Knights' first four points, and a jumper from Clark put the Knights ahead 6-4. Niles and Lindsey Mack each made three-pointers to stretch the Knights' lead to 14-9 before the Red Flash connected on a three to start a 9-0 run that put the home team ahead 18-14.
 
Stanley sank two free throws to end the run, making the score 18-16 after one period. Clark then fed Francillon with a wrap-around pass in the post for a short jumper to tie the score at 18-18. SFU, however, responded with seven straight points to retake the lead.
 
SFU extended their advantage to 34-20 before Clark hit a three-pointer to break the SFU run. The Knights were then held without a basket for almost four minutes until Comly finished a breakaway layup shortly before the halftime buzzer, and the Red Flash entered the second half up 42-27.
 
Niles hit her second triple of the game to start the second half, but the Red Flash matched the Knights point-for-point to start the third period. Stanley then scored six straight points, including a driving layup, for the Knights to make it 47-36. The Red Flash, however, answered with six of the next eight points before Niles connected for her third three-pointer.
 
SFU ended the third period with a layup, going up 61-43 entering the final quarter. Stanley completed a three-point play and blocked a shot on the defensive end that led to a Makayla Thompson layup, making it 61-48. The Red Flash countered with a three-pointer, but Thompson answered with a three of her own.
 
Comly then finished a fastbreak layup that brought the Knights within 11. The two teams then traded points over the next few minutes as SFU maintained a double-digit advantage. Two Comly free throws made it 70-50 with three minutes left, but SFU converted a three-point play on its next possession before Niles answered with another three-pointer.
 
The Red Flash finished a fast-break layup before M'Bikata hit a three-pointer with 1:20 remaining and the Knights down 75-63. Thompson then hit a free throw with under a minute left, but time eventually ran out on the visiting team during their run.
 
SFU was led by senior Jessica Kovatch, who finished with a game-high 31 points.
 
The Knights held the defending NEC champions to their lowest three-point field goal total (7-21) of the season and their lowest percentage from three (33.3) in 10 games. The Red Flash on non-Kovatch shots went 17-of-41 from the floor and 3-of-12 from beyond the arc.
 
FDU continues its Pennsylvania road swing Monday night at 7 p.m., taking on NEC preseason-favorite Robert Morris.