NEWTON, Mass. – Mount Ida shot 51% from the field in the second half of their non-conference women's basketball game on Thursday night and nearly pulled off a thrilling comeback, but the Mustangs were edged 74-73 by Daniel Webster at Mount Ida Athletic Center.
Mustang freshman Angelique Martinez (Taunton, Mass.) led all players with 22 points and 14 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.
Senior Ariel Guzman (Yonkers, N.Y.) paced the Eagles with 20 points, shooting 8-12 from the floor and hitting three of her five attempts from downtown.
Daniel Webster was on point from three-point range in the first half, making five of their eleven attempts before the break. The Eagles led by 15 at the half, 43-28, after shooting nearly 40%, while the Mustangs struggled from the field, shooting just 23% in the opening period.
A 14-3 run by the Eagles midway through the first half, including a three-pointer by Ashley England (Old Town, Maine), who had 14 points for the Eagles, helped Daniel Webster open up their lead.
The Eagles pushed their lead to 21 points, at 60-41, with 13:07 left in the second half before the Mustangs began their offensive surge.
The run started with a three-pointer by freshman guard Stephanie Champoux (Tewksbury, Mass.), who would go on to net nine points in the contest. Abbey Fedigan (New Fairfield, Conn.) and Jenn Rafuse (Brockton, Mass.), the other Mustangs in double-figures, helped cut the lead to ten points, at 66-56 with four and a half minutes on the clock.
Fedigan had 15 points and eight rebounds, while Rafuse scored 14 points and pulled down 7 boards, helping the Mustangs to outrebound their opponents 46-40.
Martinez, who added four blocks and five assists in the game, made three consecutive layups and Fedigan hit a pair of free throws with under 1:30 left to make it a four-point game.
Guzman and Rafuse exchanged buckets before Ashley Giampetruzzi (Manchester, N.H.), who had seven points for the Eagles, gave the visitors a 72-66 lead.
With thirteen seconds remaining, Mount Ida freshman Katlyn Jesse (Marshfield, Mass.) converted an old-fashioned three-point play to make the score 73-71 Eagles.
Giampetruzzi was fouled and made the front end of a one-and-one and, despite a Martinez layup and a missed foul shot with one second left, the Mustangs could not find a buzzer beater.
Jesse led all players with eight assists to go with six points. She and Marysa Dwyer (Quincy, Mass.) each had a pair of steals for Mount Ida.
Guzman dished out seven assists for the Eagles, while England and Page Pierson (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) each handed out four helpers. Senior Jennifer Fredericks (Beacon Falls, Conn.) had nine points from her spot in the starting lineup.
The Mustangs (0-4) will conclude their three-game home-stand on Saturday afternoon when they host Newbury at 1:00 pm as part of a basketball doubleheader that will also feature the men's home opener at 3:00 pm.
Daniel Webster earns their first win of the season (1-3) and just their third win in eight all-time meetings against the Mustangs. The Eagles return to Nashua to face MCLA on November 23rd in their first of four straight home games.