Box Score JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Saint Peter's women's basketball team fell to Monmouth, 52-41, in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Thursday.
Kaydine Bent (Bronx, N.Y./Harry S. Truman) paced the Peacocks with her 17 points and 11 rebounds. Antonia Smith (Bronx, N.Y./Dwight School) recorded 10 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists in the Saint Peter's loss.
The Peacocks kicked things off in the first half with a shot-clock buzzer 3-pointer from Neechelle Ingram (Pocono Summit, Pa./Pocono Mountain East). Following a Monmouth miss, Smith found Bent in the paint for an easy layup to take a 5-0 advantage. The Hawks got on the board with a field goal from Chevannah Paalvast to only trail Saint Peter's, 5-2. The Peacocks responded with a jumper from Aziza May (South Euclid, Ohio/Charles F. Brush) to extend its lead. Monmouth countered with a layup from Sara English. Following a field goal from Bent, Monmouth went on an 8-0 run to take a 12-9 lead.
Saint Peter's stopped the scoreless drought with a layup from Bent to bring the deficit within one point. Monmouth responded with a field goal from English to extend its lead. Next time down the court, Saint Peter's countered with a traditional 3-point play from May to knot the game at 14.
The Hawks went on a 6-0 spurt to take a 20-14 lead. Following a scoreless few minutes for both teams, Smith converted a 3-point play to cut the deficit to one possession. Monmouth ended the half scoring four consecutive points to take a 24-17 advantage into halftime.
Monmouth opened up the second half hitting consecutive jumpers to take a 28-17 lead. Saint Peter's answered with a basket from Bent. Following a basket from Monmouth, Smith knocked down consecutive jumpers to cut the deficit to six. The Hawks answered with a free throw to take a 31-24 lead. The Peacocks responded with a layup from Bent. Monmouth then countered with a field goal from Paalvast to extend its lead. Following a Saint Peter's foul, Monmouth knocked down a pair of free throws to take a 35-26 advantage.
Following a foul by Monmouth, Bent made two free throws to cut the Monmouth lead. The Hawks answered with three straight points to extend its lead to double-digits. Saint Peter's countered with a 7-2 run to only trail Monmouth, 40-35.
The Hawks ended the game on a 12-6 run, fueled by four field goals from Paalvast to win the contest, 52-41.
Monmouth finished with three players in double-figures, including Paalvast who finished with a game-high 18 points.
With the loss, the teams split the season series. Saint Peter's falls to 3-17 overall while Monmouth improves to 6-16.
Saint Peter's returns to action Feb. 1, when they welcome Fairfield University to the Yanitelli Center for the first matchup of the season.
