COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team finished the calendar year with a 57-44 loss to regionally-ranked Daemen University on Saturday in the Ross Sports Center. The Wildcats were 10th in the latest D2CSC East Region poll.
 
RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (4-7), Daemen (7-3)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Senior Kelly Laggis (Fairfield, Vt./BFA-Saint Albans), 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5-for-8 field goals
• Junior Brianna Furch (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood School/Cal State Fullerton), 11 points, 5-for-10 field goals
• Senior Makayla Blake (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
• First-year Bella Franchi (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), 6 rebounds, 2 assists

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Senior Alahna Paige, 30 points, 4 assists, 11-for-21 field goals, 4-for-6 three-pointers, 4-for-4 free throws
• Senior Gabby McDuffie, 12 points, 5-for-11 field goals
• Senior Natalie Angeletti, 12 rebounds
• Sophomore Cecelia Lapertosa, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks

GAME FACTS

• The teams met for the seventh time, including for their fourth Dec. 30 affair.
• The Purple Knights committed only 10 turnovers in the game, with five in each half, while forcing 16 giveaways.

THE ACTION

• Daemen led 13-2 by 2:40 of the opening quarter, shooting 3-for-4 from three-point range in that beginning stretch.
• The Purple Knights countered with an 11-5 run, rallying within 16-13 on senior Paige Slaven's (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven Regional) lay-in at 8:16 of the second period.
• The hosts were down one point twice in the latter portion of the stanza, including 23-22 on Furch's free throw at 42 seconds, before heading into halftime trailing 25-22.
• The Wildcats were ahead by seven points twice in the opening 5:44 of the third stanza before a period-ending 10-2 run gave them a 41-31 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
• The Purple Knights trimmed their deficit to 45-40 on Laggis' jumper at 5:44 of the final period, but Paige put home the next two baskets, and Daemen never again led by fewer than seven.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Wednesday vs. University of New Haven, 5:30 p.m.