COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team returned to action for the first time in nearly two weeks with a 67-44 loss against regionally-ranked Saint Anselm College on Thursday during Northeast-10 Conference play in the Ross Sports Center. The Hawks, who qualified for three of the past five NCAA Tournaments, were ninth in the latest D2SIDA East Region Media Poll.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (3-7, 1-3 NE10), Saint Anselm (7-5, 3-2 NE10)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• First-year Molly Brophy (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich Central School), career-high 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 5-for-12 field goals, 2-for-3 three-pointers
• Sophomore Makayla Blake (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), 11 points, 3-for-5 field goals, 4-for-4 free throws
• Sophomore Paige Slaven (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven Regional), 6 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
• Senior Emma MacDonough (South Burlington, Vt./South Burlington), 5 points, 4 rebounds
• Senior Nicole Ladas (Glastonbury, Conn./Tilton School), 4 points, career-high 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
• Junior Anika Kapral (Dummerston, Vt./Vermont Academy), 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
• First-year Caitlyn Dasaro (Fairfield, Vt./BFA-Saint Albans), 3 assists

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Sophomore Gabby Turco, 19 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 7-for-16 field goals
• Senior Peyton Steinman, 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
• Junior McKenzy Ouellette, 10 points, 4 steals
• First-year Melanie Hoyt, 8 points, 8 rebounds
• Junior Macy Spinks, 7 points, 4 assists

GAME FACTS

• Saint Michael's returned to action for the first time since Dec. 18.
• Saint Anselm was the 2019-20 NE10 Championship runner-up.
• The Purple Knights were narrowly outshot, 35.7%-32.1%.
• The Hawks held a 24-5 scoring lead in the second quarter, otherwise only outscoring the hosts by four points.

THE ACTION

• Brophy scored the game's opening points, knocking down a jumper 41 seconds into the game, before Ouellette had five points in a 9-2 run.
• Saint Michael's countered with an 8-0 run, as Blake netted four of the points, including hitting a jumper that pushed the lead to 12-9 by 3:17 of the first quarter.
• Out of an ensuing timeout, three Saint Anselm players each hit a three-pointer during a 1:05 stretch. Brophy buried a triple of her own at 27 seconds, and the hosts were down 18-15 at the end of the first stanza.
• The Hawks netted the first 15 points of the second period before Slaven put home a lay-in at 2:15. Dasaro found Blake for a three-pointer 45 seconds later, drawing Saint Michael's within 33-20.
• Saint Anselm converted three three-point possessions in the final 1:14 before leading twice by as many as 24 points.
• Saint Michael's came no closer than 17 points, twice on Blake points during the third period.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Wednesday at regionally-ranked Bentley University, 5:30 p.m.
• The Falcons are fourth in the latest D2SIDA East Region Media Poll and qualified for 35 of the last 39 NCAA Tournaments.