Despite a career-high 33 points from junior Lianna Carrero (Hamden, Conn.), the Albertus Magnus women's basketball team suffered an 87-73 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) setback at the hands of Suffolk University on Tuesday night.
Carrero's 33 points marked her seventh game this season with 20 or more points, while the Falcons fall to 10-3 on the year and 0-2 in GNAC action. The win improved the Rams' overall record to 10-4, while their conference mark improved to 2-0.
Carrero also tallied seven assists and seven rebounds as she recorded two steals in 40 minutes of work. Carrero was also 5-of-9 from behind the arc, another career-high mark for the junior guard.
Lindsay Karle (Wallingford, Conn.) added 27 points for the Falcons as she hit a career-best six 3-pointers before fouling out of the contest.
Suffolk began the game with an 8-1 run in the opening 2:30 of the contest before the Falcons batted back to take their first lead of the game at 11-10 on a fast-break lay-up by Annie Raucci (Milford, Conn.). The Falcons extended their lead to as much as six (18-12) with 10:53 left in the frame as Carrero also finished on a fast-break lay-in.
After the Rams took a one-point lead at 30-29, they extended their advantage with a 5-0 run to take a 35-29 lead before going into the break ahead 39-32. Suffolk out-rebounded the Falcons 30-16 in the opening frame. The Rams shot just 34.9% from the field but hit 50% from behind the arc.
Suffolk came out of the break to take a 48-42 lead before the Falcons hit six consecutive three-pointers to take a 54-50 lead with 13:28 left in the contest. Suffolk answered with a 14-3 run during a span of 4:35 midway through the second half to jump ahead 66-57.
With 3:42 left on the clock, the Falcons got back to within five at 69-64 on a Carrero jump shot but Suffolk hit all 10 of its final 10 attempts from the free-throw line in the final 1:10 of the contest to secure the 14-point victory.
The Falcons finished the contest shooting 39.7% from the floor, including a 44.8% showing from three-point land. The Rams held a 56-33 rebounding advantage, while they recorded 22 boards on the offensive end.
With her 33 points, Carrero moved up to eighth place on the all-time women's basketball scoring list as she surpassed Kim Pofok (1992-95) who tallied 1,041. Carrero now has 1,047 career points.
The Falcons are 10-14 against Suffolk dating back to the 1993-94 season and have not defeated the Rams since an 82-81 GNAC Tournament victory on Feb. 23, 2010.
Albertus will head to Mount Ida College on Thursday, Jan. 17 as the Falcons are scheduled to take on the Mustangs in a 7:00 p.m. GNAC contest.
