Despite 22 points and 11 rebounds from freshman Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.), the Albertus Magnus women's basketball team fell to Suffolk University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play by a score of 77-72 on Saturday afternoon.
The loss drops the Falcons to 10-11 overall and 3-5 in GNAC play, while Suffolk improves to 8-12 on the year and 5-2 in league action.
Bolden scored 13 of the Falcons' first 16 points as she was 9-of-9 from the charity stripe to begin the contest. Suffolk led by as many as 11 points with 3:04 left in the opening frame. The Falcons battled back during the final three minutes of the half to cut the lead to seven at the break.
Bolden led all scorers with 15 points in the first half. The Falcons struggled in the first half, shooting just 21.9% from the floor but hit 13 of their 16 attempts from the free-throw line to stay in the game. The Rams shot 48.3% in the frame and hit 6-of-10 from the charity stripe.
The Falcons came out of the halftime break outscoring the Rams 14-6 to take a 42-41 lead with 16:35 left in regulation. Play went back-and-forth throughout the second half before a late surge by Suffolk, led by Iliana Quadri, gave the Rams the five-point win. Quadri finished the game with 30 points on 12-of-21 shooting, while she hit 3-of-6 from behind the arc, all coming in the second half to secure the Rams' win.
The Falcons' performance from the free-throw line was impressive as they hit 27 of their 33 attempts from the line but they finished the contest shooting 34.4%. In the second half, Albertus shot 48.3% and hit 14-of-17 from the free-throw line.
Suffolk shot 44.4% (4-of-9) from behind the arc in the second half which made the difference in the contest.
Suffolk rattled off 21 points on 16 Albertus turnovers, while the Falcons out-rebounded the Rams 44-33 on the afternoon.
Kelsey Pendagast (Shelton, Conn.) recorded 17 points and seven rebounds for the Falcons, while Chelsea Sherrod (Bridgeport, Conn.) pulled down 11 boards. Olivia Sutherland (Wallingford, Conn.) tied her career-high scoring effort with 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor. She was also 6-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Kiarra Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) added eight assists and nine points for the Falcons.
Alessandra Quadri chipped in with 12 points and seven boards for the Rams as she shot 50% from the field.
Albertus is now 7-12 all-time against Suffolk and has lost the last five-straight against the Rams.
The Falcons return to action on Tuesday when they head to West Hartford, Conn. to take on the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) in a GNAC match-up. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
