NEWTON, Mass. -- Despite standout offensive performances from three players, Mount Ida suffered a 71-64 home defeat to Pine Manor College in non-conference women's basketball action on Thursday afternoon at Mount Ida Athletic Center.

Senior Abbey Fedigan (New Fairfield, Conn.) led the Mustangs with 19 points, while Jenn Rafuse (Brockton, Mass.) chipped in 17 points and 10 rebounds, and freshman Stephanie Champoux (Tewksbury, Mass.) also poured in 17 points.

Fedigan, who was 3-for-3 from behind the three-point line, hit a deep triple at the first half buzzer to send the teams to the break deadlocked at 31.

Ari DeJesus (Providence, R.I.) scored 15 of her game-high 20 points in the second half to help the Gators pull away and improve to 9-1. DeJesus also added 19 rebounds in the game for an impressive double-double. In total, four Gators finished in double-figures, with Natasia Franklin (Windsor, Conn.) adding 13 points, while Alexis Lee (Akron, Ohio) scored 12 and Maria Vaughan (Okinawa, Japan) added 10 points of her own.

With Pine Manor leading 21-19, the Gators used an 8-0 run that included back-to-back three pointers from sophomore classmates Sybil Lynch (Hoboken, N.J.) and Lee to build a 10-point first advantage, at 29-19, with 3:41 to go before the half.

However, Mount Ida countered, closing out the first half on a 12-2 run capped by a three-pointer from Fedigan to tie the game at 31-all at halftime. Fedigan scored 12 of Mount Ida's 31 first half points en route to her team-high 19 in the contest.

The teams exchanged baskets to open the second half, remaining deadlocked at 39-39 through the opening five minutes. Back-to-back layups from sophomore Khiyana Issac (Boston, Mass.) briefly helped the Gators to gain a 43-39 lead with 13:04 to play. However, a pair of free throws from Rafuse and a layup from Champoux again tied the contest at 43-all.

With the contest tied for the seventh time on the night, Issac again added a layup, her third in a row, to put the Gators ahead for good.

Layups from DeJesus and Franklin on either side of a Mount Ida three-pointer from Rafuse, pushed the score to 49-48 just past the midway point of the second. Neither team led by more than four points until a 14-2 PMC run that helped the Gators open up a 63-50 advantage with just 4:20 to play. 

However, Mount Ida once again fought back to close the gap, using baskets by Champoux, Fedigan, Rafuse and freshman Marysa Dwyer (Quincy, Mass.) to go on a 10-0 run and pull within three points at 63-60 with 35 seconds to play.

The three-point deficit was as close as the Mustangs would get as the comeback bid ran out of time and PMC converted on all of eight of its free throw attempts in the final minute to secure the 71-64 victory.

Mount Ida (3-9) will travel to  UMass Lowell on Monday at 6:00 pm for an exciting test in the opportunity to play a Division 1 opponent.

The Gators hit the road for a trip to New York on Saturday, when they will face New Rochelle at 2:00 pm.