BUFFALO, N.Y. – The D'Youville University women's basketball stayed hot on Saturday, putting an end to crosstown rival Daemen University's undefeated conference record with a 67-58 win at the Saints Center.
 
Senior Anna Jankovic (Averill Park, N.Y.) posted a double-double on her Senior Day, scoring 15 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Freshman Aliviya Vallone Russell (Buffalo, N.Y.) also poured in 15 points for the Saints and recorded five rebounds and five assists. Redshirt sophomore Megan Fedor (Elmira, N.Y.) scored 15 points as well on an efficient 6-for-8 shooting and grabbed four rebounds.
 
DYU came out firing, jumping out to an 8-2 lead thanks to three-pointers from Jankovic and senior Isabella Kostyal-Larrier (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and a layup from junior Morgan Giancaterino (Orchard Park, N.Y.). Vallone Russell extended the lead to 13-2 with a mid-range jumper and a three-pointer. Giancaterino tacked on to the lead with another layup to make it 15-2 with 2:59 remaining in the quarter. Daemen closed the gap to 15-6 by the end of the quarter.
 
The Saints started the second quarter strong as well, as Fuglsang knocked down a close-range jumper and Jankovic put in a layup to make it 19-6. Kostyal-Larrier cashed in from beyond the arc to extend DYU's lead to 24-9 at the 6:06 mark. The Wildcats brought the lead down to single digits with a 6-0 run before Jankovic sank a mid-range jumper to bring the lead back to eleven. Daemen ended the half on a 7-2 run to trim the Saints' lead to 28-22.
 
Jankovic began the third quarter with a layup plus a free throw, but seven straight points from the Wildcats narrowed DYU's lead to two at the 6:12 mark. Fuglsang drilled a pair of triples to stop the run and put DYU back ahead by five with 4:01 left to play in the quarter. Then, Fedor caught fire, knocking down four shots in a row. Daemen continued to hang around, though, and the Saints went into the fourth quarter with a 45-40 advantage.
 
Fedor continued to ride the hot hand early in the fourth quarter, nailing a three-pointer, two free throws, and a layup to increase DYU's lead to ten. A three-pointer from Vallone Russell kept the Saints ahead by ten with 3:42 remaining. However, nine straight points from Daemen cut the lead to 57-56 with 1:27 left to play. Vallone Russell responded with another triple, and it was back to a two-possession game with 59 seconds left to go. The Wildcats couldn't convert on their next possession and were forced to foul. Jankovic buried both free throws to make it 62-56 with 44 seconds remaining. Daemen was able to score on their next trip, but it was too little too late, as Jankovic and Vallone Russell converted their free throws to salt away the victory.
 
D'Youville has now won four straight and five of their last seven to improve to 9-15 (7-8 ECC). They are in prime position to make the ECC Tournament and they will close out their regular season on Wednesday at Roberts Wesleyan University.