EASTON, Mass. - The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team entered Saturday tied with three teams for ninth place in the Northeast-10 Conference, including Stonehill College, before suffering an 84-56 setback to the Skyhawks in Merkert Gymnasium. The Purple Knights fell to 10-13 overall and 7-12 in the league, while Stonehill is now 12-11 and 8-11. Three league games remain in a conference that takes the top 10 in the postseason.

Sophomore Alexa Long (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) shot 6-of-10 while nearing a double-double for the Purple Knights, finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds, while junior Nicole Adach (Schenectady, N.Y./Mohonasen) had 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting in addition to tallying six boards and three steals. Freshman Natalie Wimett (South Burlington, Vt./South Burlington) buried a pair of three-pointers in seven minutes off the bench. Saint Michael's held a 30-28 edge in rebounding.

Stonehill was lifted by a 9-of-14 showing from three-point range, and a 60.4-percent overall shooting performance. Sophomore Mary Louise Dixon (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) had 23 points, shooting 7-for-8, including 4-of-5, from three, and freshman Amy Pelletier (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) notched 13 points. Senior Priscilla Dodoo (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Burncoat) and sophomore Asia Ewing (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) notched 12 and 11 points, respectively, while each grabbing seven rebounds.

Adach's two free throws 1:06 into the contest tied the game, and a Long bucket brought her team within 6-4, but Stonehill followed with the next 13 points and led by 20 with a little more than six minutes remaining.

The Purple Knights head to Merrimack College on Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. match-up.