Boston, Mass. – Stevens Institute of Technology's women's basketball team led by 12 points early in the second quarter, but a big second half for the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) was too much for the Ducks to overcome in an 59-39 final on Saturday afternoon at the Emmanuel College Tip-Off Tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After holding Ramapo to just 29 points in a 31-point win Wednesday afternoon, the Stevens' defense continued causing headaches early on, holding the Tigers to a 1-for-14 clip from the floor over the opening 10 minutes.  Dorothy Loffredo put the Ducks up early, with an RIT basket tying things at two at the 6:00 mark before the rest of the Ducks' starting five helped put the Ducks up nine through one.  Olivia Schubiger assisted on an Audrey Kehoe layup, then added a jumper of her own, Leyla Castro followed with a three, and Isabella Duval knocked down a jumper in the final 30 seconds.

Castro had the first five of the second quarter for the Ducks who opened a 16-4 lead before RIT reeled off a 9-0 run. Castro stopped a three-minute Ducks' scoring drought with another three, and a late Duval free throw kept the Ducks in front, 20-17, at halftime.

After making just six field goals and four free throws in the first half, RIT hit seven shots and all eight of its free throws in the third quarter, seizing a 41-26 lead heading to the fourth quarter; Schubiger had all six points for the Ducks in the period, knocking down 3-of-6 from the floor.

In the fourth, Castro and Katherine Bogutsky each knocked down a three, Scubiger and Emily Marinelli each hit a jumper, and CeeJay Thomas had a free throw and a jumper, but the Ducks could not close the margin under 15 as the Tigers finished the second half shooting 50 percent from the floor after converting at 20.7 percent clip in the first half.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• After hitting a pair of threes with eight points in the season opener against Kean, then a trifecta of threes with 11 points against Ramapo, Castro again set new season-highs with four from beyond the arc and a team-high 14 points on Saturday
• Castro also handed out three assists, reaching 300 for her Stevens' career
• Kehoe pulled down a season-high seven rebounds

UP NEXT
The Ducks will face Medgar Evers tomorrow at 1:00 during the second and final day of the tournament.
 
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