ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University women's basketball team concluded their weekend with a 74-61 loss to Nazareth University on Saturday from the Terry S. Galanis Family Arena.
 
Felicia Stewart (Ann Arbor, MI/Pioneer) scored a team-high 13 points to go with two rebounds. Leah Harkenrider (Hornell, NY/Hornell) recorded 11 points and two assists. Samantha Fischer (Wappingers Falls, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) and Grace Rittenhouse (Dansville, NY/Dansville) each added 10 points for AU.
 
"We're competing at a high level with discipline for about 32 minutes a game right now," Head Coach Mike Moskowitz said. "If we want to be a winning team, we have to be consistently disciplined with our effort for the full 40 minutes. Overall, I'm proud of the fight and improvements we've made individually and collectively. We'll continue to get better each day and put that full 40 minutes."
 
Harkenrider opened scoring for AU in the first quarter with a shot from three-point territory. Seven consecutive points from Rittenhouse gave the Saxons a one-point lead. Nazareth relied on late shots to take a 21-18 lead into the second quarter. An opening 6-0 run by the Golden Flyers was snapped by a three-point shot from Jessica Beehler (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk). Stewart added four points in the quarter, but the Saxons still trailed 35-30 at the half.
 
A 10-3 run by the Golden Flyers to open the second half gave Nazareth their first double-digit advantage of the afternoon. Three-point shots from Fischer, Harkenrider and Rittenhouse gave AU some momentum, but the team remained behind 54-46 going into the fourth quarter. Jayda L. Felker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post) was the first Saxon to score in the final quarter. The Saxons cut their deficit to seven points, but Nazareth managed to hold on for the win.
 
Alfred University will next travel to face Hartwick College on Friday at 5:30 PM.