NU women's basketball loses at Quinnipiac

Niagara University women's basketball suffered its first loss against a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent Friday afternoon, falling on the road to Quinnipiac, 80-66, at the TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, Connecticut.

Victoria Rampado opened the scoring with a basket, after which the Purple Eagles (6-6, 2-1 MAAC) and Bobcats (11-3, 3-0 MAAC) kept close until about eight minutes remaining in the first half, at which point the game was tied 21-21.

Quinnipiac took over from there, going on a 25-10 run over the next eight minutes, cashing in on 3-point shots to build a 46-31 lead at halftime.

Rampado scored four points to open the second half. She finished the game with 13 points, sharing Niagara's scoring lead for the game with Val McQuade. The latter of the two netted nine of those points from 3-point range. 

After Kelly Van Leeuwen scored a 3-pointer, Rampado sank two free throws to cut Niagara's deficit to 10 points. Quinnipiac, however, followed with a 10-3 run that put the game out of reach for the Purple Eagles, who still fell short in spite of a 15-0 run in the game's final six minutes.

Samantha Guastella led the Bobcats with 19 points while Val Driscoll and Jasmine Martin added 11 points apiece.

Niagara's Meghan McGuinness pulled down seven rebounds — a season high — while Kaylee Stroemple recorded seven points, five rebounds and two assists. 

Freshman Simone Hobdy added nine points for the Purple Eagles, who next travel to Fairfield to face the Stags in a Sunday afternoon tilt.