CASTINE, Maine -- Maine Maritime Academy women's basketball fell to North Atlantic Conference opponent Colby-Sawyer College on Saturday afternoon 51-47, inside of Smith Gymnasium.

The Mariners opened up the game with a 4-0 lead at 7:31, but the Chargers answered back with seven-unanswered points to take a 7-4 lead midway through the first quarter. Maine Maritime entered the second quarter with a 15-13 lead, and led by as much as five points following a jumper from Amanda Holewiak (Somerset, Mass.) at 3:52. Colby-Sawyer's Jessica Shenkel hit a three to close the gap to 17-16, but the Mariners took a 21-18 lead into the intermission.

Lexi Iannone led all players in the first two quarters with nine points for the Chargers, while Kristi Willey (Topsham, Maine), Alayne Felix (Mahopac, N.Y.) and Mikayla Charters (Newport, Maine) each had four points for the Mariners.

Colby-Sawyer went on a 7-2 run to open up the third quarter and took a 25-23 lead. The two teams exchanged the lead before the Chargers used a 6-2 run to close out the quarter, and a 37-34 advantage into the final quarter.

Maine Maritime put together a seven-point run in the final minute of the game to make it 48-47, but the Chargers hung on for the conference victory, hitting three of four from the line in the final six seconds.

Felix led the way for the Mariners with 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and Willey ended the afternoon with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Colby-Sawyer's Shenkel led all players with 14 points, while adding three helpers, two boards and two blocks. Iannone chipped in with 13 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.

Maine Maritime falls to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the NAC, while the Chargers improve to 5-3 on the season, and 3-1 in the conference. The Mariners head into the winter break, and will return to action on January 3rd in New York, against John Jay.