Peacocks Fall To Mount St. Mary's Despite Janneh's Strong Performance

EMMITSBURG, MD- Saint Peter's women's basketball put up a strong fight against Mount St. Mary's at Knott Arena on Saturday afternoon, but fell short by a score of 59-79.

The Peacocks had two standout performers, with Fatmata Janneh leading the squad with 26 points, alongside 18 rebounds. De'Naya Rippey also made a significant contribution, adding 10 points to the scoreboard. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Peacocks got off to a slow start, trailing early against Mount St. Mary's. However, the momentum began to shift when sophomore Fatmata Janneh drove to the basket, followed by a clutch three-pointer from redshirt sophomore Nikola Zdenkova. Janneh continued to spark the offense, sinking a hook shot and knocking down back-to-back jumpers before capping off the first quarter with a three-pointer. Janneh finished the opening period in double figures, tallying 11 points. Despite her strong performance, the Peacocks trailed 27-14 at the end of the first quarter.

Janneh carried the Peacocks momentum into the second quarter, opening with a quick drive to the basket followed by a smooth jumper. Rippey added to the offensive surge with back-to-back layups, while Zdenkova connected from beyond the arc. Janneh capped off the first half with another strong drive to the rim, but the Peacocks still faced a 46-30 deficit against the Mountaineers at the break.

The Peacocks came out strong after halftime, with Janneh driving the basket. Junior Louella Allana followed up with a smooth jumper, while graduate Laila Grant knocked down a three-pointer to keep the offense rolling. Janneh added another jumper, and the Peacocks continued to chip away at the deficit with back-to-back three-pointers from sophomore Emily O'Connell and Grant. Their efforts helped close the gap, but Mount St. Mary's maintained a 60-53 lead heading into the final quarter.

In the Peacocks final push, Nikola Zdenkova knocked down a clutch three-pointer, keeping the momentum alive as they fought to close the gap. Fatmata Janneh added to the surge, drilling a deep three-pointer but it wasn't enough to close the gap. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

De'Naya Rippey made a strong impact for Saint Peter's in her 23 minutes on the court, scoring 10 points on an efficient 50.0 percent shooting from the field (3-for-6). Rippey also contributed on the boards, grabbing five rebounds, including three on the offensive end. 

Fatmata Janneh had an outstanding performance for Saint Peter's, playing 38 minutes and scoring 26 points on an efficient 57.9 percent shooting from the field (11-for-19). She also hit two-of-five from beyond the arc (40.0 percent). Janneh dominated the boards, grabbing 18 total rebounds, with 16 coming defensively and two offensively.

UP NEXT

The Peacocks return home on Thursday, February 6th, to continue their MAAC campaign against Siena on Peacock Nation Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., and fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+.

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