BUFFALO, NY - The Lady Falcons withstood a fourth quarter rally from the Vikings and held on for an exciting first win of the season, 64-61, as part of the Villa Maria Tip-Off Classic inside the Villa Athletic Center in Buffalo, NY.
Fisher jumped out to a 12-9 after the first quarter, as Jenny-Lynn Eggers (Sonoma, CA) scored nine points while Vivian Lara (Norwalk, CA) added her first three-pointer of the young season to give the visitors the lead. The Vikings came out strong in the second quarter as they jumped out to a 19-14 lead on a fast break by Jordan Armon to give them their biggest lead of the game. But the Falcons answered with two straight three-pointers from Lara and Kellie Gaston (Tampa, FL) to grab the lead right back 20-19. Maura Lammers (Augusta, GA) gave the Falcons a 23-22 lead heading into halftime with a layup and a foul shot for her first points of the season.
Gaston and Piper Mali (Oro Valley, AZ) led the Falcons offensively in the third quarter and looked to put the game away as they took a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Falcons led by as many as 12 in the early stages of the fourth quarter, but Villa fought back and got to within a point, 53-52 with 6:33 left. Fisher bumped that lead up to seven with back-to-back threes from Gaston and Lara inside the two minute mark, and closed the door with a lay-up and free throw from Mali to put them up for good 64-61 The Vikings did have a chance with three seconds to try and tie the game, but a corner three by junior guard Chmicka Kennedy was just a bit strong and off the mark and the Falcons hung on for the season opening victory.
Gaston led Fisher in scoring, netting 19 points, while Eggers was close behind with 18. Fisher also won the battle on the board, out-rebounding Villa 48-38 with Lara leading the way with 15 and Shaniah Hazard (Providence, RI) chipping in with 11.
The Lady Falcons will look to sweep the weekend as they take on U-Maine Fort-Kent today at 12pm.