The AU women's basketball team lost its third game in a row Tuesday night, falling behind early in an eventual 70-57 loss to the Bucknell Bison. The defeat drops the Eagles to 4-5 in the Patriot League and 9-15 overall.
The Bison scored the game's first basket only 24 seconds into the game and built an 8-0 lead before the Eagles could score their first hoop almost four minutes into the game.
Bucknell would push the margin to 21-7 seven minutes into the half before the Eagles began to chip away. Initiated by a Pam Stanfeld lay-up and capped by a Nicole Ryan three-pointer, the Eagles would go on a 13-3 run to cut their deficit to six points. Trading baskets the remainder of the half, AU would find itself down 31-22 at the break.
The Bison, who would only shoot 39.4 percent from the field in the first half, came out of the break on fire. Shooting 60.9 percent in the second period of play, Bucknell opened with a 27-15 run to extend their lead from nine to a game-high 18 with 11 minutes to play in the game.
AU would attempt to cut the lead, going on an 8-3 lead of their own to cut their deficit to within 11 points, but that would be as close as the Eagles would get as Bucknell would hold on for the 70-57 victory.
Continuing their pattern of late, the Eagles would be doomed by first half shooting woes. AU would only shoot 25.9 percent from the field, including only three of nine from behind the three-point line. Improving slightly in the second-half by shooting 43.5 percent, they could not match the hot touch of the Bison.
One highlight for the Eagles in the game was the individual accomplishment of Junior Liz Hayes. Hayes broke the all-time AU record for three-pointers in a season by recording her 62nd of the year. This breaks the record of 61 set last year by Tala Hadavi.
The Eagles will next take on the Colgate Raiders in Hamilton, N.Y. on Saturday. The action tips off at 1 p.m.
