AMHERST, N.Y. – The D'Youville University women's basketball team gave archrival Daemen University a tough test on Saturday but were defeated 65-59.
 
Freshman Allie Hall (Rochester, N.Y.) and redshirt sophomore Megan Fedor (Elmira, N.Y.) led the way for the Saints, each scoring 14 points, a career-high for Fedor. They both grabbed four rebounds as well. Freshman Aliviya Vallone Russell (Buffalo, N.Y.) scored 13 points, matching a career-high, and added five rebounds and three assists. Senior Sofie Fuglsang (Oberanven, Luxembourg) had a career-day on the boards, recording ten rebounds, and adding six points.
 
Three-pointers from Vallone Russell and senior Anna Jankovic (Averill Park, N.Y.) helped DYU get out to a 10-4 lead early in the first quarter. Fuglsang knocked a three-pointer of her own to keep the lead at six at the 6:09 mark. The Wildcats rattled off eight-straight points to go in front 15-13 with 3:03 remaining in the quarter. A pair of layups from Hall put the Saints back ahead 19-17 as the quarter came to an end.
 
Vallone Russell drained consecutive three-pointers to make it 25-21 DYU in the early stages of the second quarter. Jankovic cashed in from beyond the arc on the next possession to extend the lead to 28-23. A layup from Hall and another three-pointer from Jankovic stretched the Saints' lead to ten at the 6:21 mark. DYU was held scoreless over the final 4:35 of the quarter, however, but still held a 34-28 lead going into halftime.
 
A mid-range jumper from Vallone Russell and a layup from Hall kept the Saints lead at six two minutes into the third quarter. Fedor put in a layup to give them a 40-32 advantage at the 6:12 mark. Eight-straight points from Daemen knotted the score at 40-40 with four minutes left in the quarter. The Wildcats closed the quarter on a 15-2 run and DYU found themselves trailing 47-42 going into the fourth quarter.
 
Layups from Hall and Jankovic cut the deficit to one early in the final frame. Fuglsang drilled a three-pointer to level the contest at 49-49 at the 6:20 mark. Fedor converted a layup and then sank a pair of free throws to put the Saints back in front 53-51 with 4:23 remaining. With 2:41 left to play, Fedor came through again, knocking down a three-pointer to make it 56-51 DYU. However, Daemen closed the game on a 14-3 run to steal the victory.
 
With the loss, D'Youville drops to 4-12 on the year and 2-5 in the ECC. They will return home to face Roberts Wesleyan University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.