AMHERST, Mass. – Emmanuel College scored eleven straight points in the fourth quarter to take a double-digit lead and eventually handed #1 Amherst College a 60-55 defeat in non-conference women's basketball action on Tuesday evening at LeFrak Gymnasium.
Amherst (3-1) suffered their first loss of the season despite 21 points from Hannah Fox '20 and a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) from Madeline Eck '20.
Loredana D'Agostino scored five straight points to give Emmanuel (4-3) the lead for good, kicking off a Saints run that turned a 41-40 Amherst lead into a 51-41 edge for the visitors with just 4:35 left in regulation.
Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, who scored a game-high 25 points, added to the lead with a jump shot to put Emmanuel ahead 47-41, and then capped the rally with a pair of free throws for the first double-digit lead of either side.
Eck hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to as little as five with fourteen seconds left and Fox converted a layup with just two ticks on the clock, but Kayla Weaver knocked down both of her free throws to secure the win for Emmanuel.
Ramirez-Tejeda had 10 points and five rebounds in the first half as the visitors took a one-point lead after the first period and a 23-19 advantage at the break.
D'Agostino finished the night with nine points, while Jamad Fiin had eight points off the bench, including 2-3 from three-point range.
Amherst was held to just three made field goals in each of the first two quarters and ended the half 6-31 from the floor (19.4%). They wound up shooting much better in the second half, including 8-15 in the third quarter, the only quarter in which they outscored Emmanuel, as they took a two-point lead into the final frame.
Cam Hendricks '20 made a layup to open the fourth quarter and Fox gave Amherst their final lead on a three-pointer with 7:41 to play in the game after Ramirez-Tejeda had answered with two layups.
Gabby Zaffiro '22 had eleven points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals for the Mammoths. Courtney Resch '22 had six boards herself, along with six points and three blocks.
The Mammoths took their largest leads of the half on two three-pointers by Fox, the first making it 9-4 at the near midpoint of the first quarter.
Fox struck again from long range at 5:13 of the second quarter to give Amherst a 19-15 lead, but the Saints ended the half on an 8-0 run.
Fiin gave Emmanuel the lead with a three-pointer and extended the lead to 4 with a layup before the halftime whistle.
Amherst outrebounded Emmanuel 26-17 at halftime, with Eck pulling down a game-high six boards in the first half. The final rebound totals were also in favor of Amherst, 39-34.
Ramirez-Tejeda led the Saints on the glass with 10 rebounds, and also had three steals, a number matched by teammate Riley Lahiff, who also had six points and five rebounds. Weaver dished out a game-high four assists and also scored six points for Emmanuel.
Kate Sullivan '21 had three assists, a steal and a block off of the bench for Amherst.
The Mammoths travel to Eastern Connecticut State on Saturday at 1:00 PM. The Warriors handed Amherst their first loss in over two seasons last year in LeFrak Gymnasium.