ROCHESTER, NY - The Alfred University women's basketball team opened Empire 8 conference competition with a 70-62 loss to Nazareth University on Saturday night. 

Jaidyn Chest (Mayfield, NY/Mayfield) led Alfred University with a team-high 17 points to go with four rebounds. Jayda L. Felker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post) totaled 10 points and pair of rebounds. Grace Rittenhouse (Dansville, NY/Dansville) added 10 points for AU. 

"I'm proud of the fight we showed tonight," Head Coach Mike Moskowitz said. "We were way better than Tuesday but still had lapses in execution on both ends that hurt us in key moments in the game. It was a great first test in conference play and we will get better this week before Altoona."

The Saxons began the game on a 9-0 run in which Felker scored five early points, while the defense held the Golden Flyers without a point across the first four minutes of action. Nazareth put together a 10-0 run that was snapped by a deep shot from Rittenhouse, as AU went into the second quarter with a 14-13 lead. The Saxons scored their first six points of the second quarter from the free throw line. Chest scored the final four points of the first half for Alfred University, but the team still trailed 38-29 going into halftime. 

Rittenhouse opened scoring for the Saxons in the early stages of the third quarter. Chest added eight points for AU in the third quarter, but the Saxons were still behind 56-51 going into the fourth quarter. The Golden Flyers put together a 14-0 run in the early moments of the fourth quarter to extend their lead. Three different Saxons scored as part of a 9-0 run to close out the game, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback. 

Alfred University will next travel to face Penn State Altoona next Saturday at 3:00 PM.