New London, Conn. - The Trinity College women's basketball team led by five at the half, but wasn't able to hang on, falling to the Connecticut College Camels, 80-77, on Friday night in a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) matchup. Trinity falls to 9-3 overall, 0-2 in conference play, while the Camels improve to 13-1 on the year and 3-0 in NESCAC action.

Bantams junior Sheena Landy (Durham, Conn.) was 6-for-10 from the field and 6-for-7 from the foul line and had a career-high 18 points and seven rebounds to lead Trinity on the evening. Senior captain center Mackenzie Griffin (Stamford, Conn.) posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards in 22 minutes of work while freshman Erin Cunningham (Wilton, Conn.) added 13 points in 16 minutes of action off of the bench, shooting 5-for-9 from the field. 

The Bantams carried a 42-37 advantage into halftime and built a 47-40 lead when senior captain guard Lexi Menard (Walllingford, Conn.) went under, up and in for a lay-up with 7:50 remaining in the third quarter, however Connecticut College sophomore Mairead Hynes (Mahopac, N.Y.) forced the eighth tie of the game when she put back an offensive board with 2:13 remaining to even the score at 55. The Camels took a 57-55 lead when Hynes netted a pair of free throws with 1:42 remaining but the Bantams closed out the scoring in third when Cunningham buried a three-ball from the left side of the arc as Trinity carried a 58-57 lead into the final 10 minutes of action.

The Camels opened the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run. Jenna Lovett (Tolland, Conn.) scored four of the six points, capping the run when she took a feed from Caroline Pangallo (Fairfield, Conn.) and slipped by her defender in the post for a deuce to make it a 63-58 game with 8:09 remaining.

Griffin converted a field goal to pull the Bantams to within 71-69 with 1:46 to go but Kylie Caouette (Ashburnham, Mass.) responded by banking in a runner that started the Camels on another 6-0 run and the hosts were able to put the game away on the foul line to close out the 80-77 win.

Liz Malman (Mendham, N.J.) poured in a game-high 23 points and had six rebounds and four assists to lead the Camels while Landy led the Bantams in scoring. Trinity returns to action tomorrow, January 16, when they travel to in-state rival Wesleyan University to take on the Cardinals. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.