Box Score JERSEY CITY,NJ- Saint Peter's women's basketball team fell short to Rider by a score of 57-52 on Thursday evening.
The Peacocks had two players who came in double-figures,
Laila Grant tacked on 13 points
De'Naya Rippey contributed 17 points to the squad.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Peacocks had a slow start, falling behind 6-0 against Rider. However, momentum shifted when graduate guard
Laila Grant drove to the basket, and freshman forward
De'Naya Rippey drained a three-pointer to ignite the offense. Graduate guard
Maya Hyacienth then sank a deep shot from beyond the arc and followed up with a strong finish at the rim. Hyacienth closed out the first quarter with eight points, helping the Peacocks take a 19-16 lead.
Coming out of the first-quarter break, freshman forward
De'Naya Rippey drove to the rim, while junior guard
Louella Allana knocked down a smooth pull-up jumper. Rippey continued to make an impact in the paint, helping the Peacocks maintain their edge. As the teams headed into halftime, Saint Peter's held a 30-25 lead.
The Peacocks opened the third quarter with sophomore
Fatmata Janneh attacking the rim, followed by a strong driving layup from
De'Naya Rippey. As the quarter came to a close, Saint Peter's held onto a narrow 38-35 lead.
Down the stretch, sophomore
Fatmata Janneh drove to the basket, while
De'Naya Rippey continued to dominate in the paint. As the Broncs closed in on the Peacocks lead, redshirt sophomore
Nikola Zdenkova fired a shot from beyond the arc
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Graduate guard
Maya Hyacienth delivered an efficient performance, making a strong impact in just 18 minutes of action. She shot an impressive 75% from the field (3-for-4) and knocked down two of her three attempts from beyond the arc, finishing with eight points. Hyacienth also contributed defensively with two steals and an offensive rebound.
Graduate guard
Laila Grant played a crucial 37 minutes for Saint Peter's, overcoming shooting struggles to make a significant impact. She capitalized at the free-throw line, going a perfect 9-for-9. Grant also contributed on the boards, securing five rebounds—all on the defensive end—while adding two assists.
Freshman forward
De'Naya Rippey delivered a standout performance for Saint Peter's, leading the team with 17 points in 31 minutes of play. She shot 42.9% from the field (6-for-14) and knocked down one three-pointer, while also going 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. Rippey made her presence felt on the boards, grabbing eight rebounds—four on the offensive end—showcasing her ability to create second-chance opportunities. She also contributed defensively with two steals.
UP NEXT
The Peacocks will hit the road to Emmitsburg, MD, on Saturday, February 1st, to continue their MAAC campaign against Mount St. Mary's. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m., and fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+.
