The American University women’s basketball team (5-14) was defeated by the Holy Cross Crusaders (11-8) by a score of 70-58 at Bender Arena. This was the Crusaders’ second win over American this season, completing a sweep over the Eagles.
American came into this game fresh off a win against the Colgate Raiders on Jan. 21 in Hamilton, New York, where they won 44-41. Freshman forward Charlotte Tuhy led American with 22 points and 17 rebounds.
The game began in favor of the Crusaders, with the Eagles failing to score on their first five possessions. In that span, Holy Cross found the basket three times, draining two 3-pointers and a contested layup to take an early 8-point lead.
Sophomore guard Molly Driscoll scored American’s first points after picking up a steal and driving all the way down the court for an open basket. Senior guard Laura Nogues cut the deficit in half with a contested layup on the Eagles’ next possession. The Crusaders responded soon after with a 3-pointer, giving them an 11-4 lead with 4:39 to go in the first.
After a Crusader layup with 3:59 remaining in the quarter, American picked up its tempo. Sophomore guard Madisyn Moore-Nicholson drove to the basket for a layup, bringing the score 13-7. Following a missed Holy Cross midrange jumper, Nogues drained a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 4 points. On the next possession, a trip to the free-throw line resulted in one more point for Moore-Nicholson.
In the final minute of the quarter, the Crusaders and Eagles traded a pair of 3-pointers, with American’s coming via Driscoll in the final seconds of the quarter. Despite the slow start, the Eagles only trailed the Crusaders by 3 points heading into the second quarter with a 16-13 score.
Much like the first quarter, the second started with an early Holy Cross scoring run with seven straight points for the Crusaders. Sophomore forward Ellie Pingree ended the run with a put-back basket off an offensive rebound. Pingree kept the hot hand, draining a 3-pointer on the Eagles’ next possession. Tuhy continued the momentum with a layup before Holy Cross drained a 3-pointer with 4:31 left.
Coming out of the timeout, freshman guard Kayla Greyvensteyn connected from the corner for a deep 2-pointer, a play originally ruled as a 3-pointer later overturned as her foot was barely on the line.
The end of the half featured a back-and-forth scoring affair. Pingree scored the Eagles’ next two points before the Crusaders answered back. To close the half, junior guard Lexi Salazar hit from beyond the arc with 26 seconds left. At the half, American trailed Holy Cross 32-27.
The Eagles started the third quarter with a drive to the basket by senior guard Anna Rescifina where she picked up contact for the foul, draining both attempts from the line. A crossover into midrange jumper from Moore-Nicholson brought the deficit to 4 points.
Momentum kept building for American. On the next possession, a pass from Driscoll found Salazar in the corner for a 3-pointer that ignited the Bender crowd before the Crusaders ended the run, countering with a 3-pointer of their own. After Holy Cross picked up a foul and went 1 for 2 at the line, Salazar hit her third 3-pointer of the game.
The Eagles’ run slowed, fouling Holy Cross on the next possession and failing to box out after that. Down 4 with 4:51 to go in the third, Nogues shifted the tides back in favor of the Eagles with a steal and successful layup. Nogues led the team with 4 steals on the day.
To end the third quarter, Tuhy drained a 3-pointer to bring the lead down to 2 points. A last-second layup for Holy Cross rolled around the rim before skittering off the edge, keeping the score at 48-46 heading into the final 10 seconds.
Until the fourth quarter, the Eagles had not led at any point in the game. American needed a spark, and it came from Tuhy. A pass from Driscoll found Tuhy in the paint, who converted the layup with contact, drawing a foul. A successful free throw brought the score to 50-49.
On the next possession, the Crusaders drew a foul and converted both free throws to bring their lead back to 3 points. This didn’t deter the Eagles, as Tuhy found space on the left wing and drained a 3-pointer, tying up the game at 52.
Two possessions later, Tuhy found space again beyond the arc, connecting from downtown as the Eagles took their first lead of the game. The AU fans who braved the snowy elements to travel to Bender were ecstatic. With 6:02 left in the game, American led 55-52.
But the momentum quickly faded. On the next possession, Holy Cross drew a foul and converted both free throws to inch back within one. An Eagle turnover on the next possession led to a Crusader drive to the basket, an and-one play that sent the opposing fans into a frenzy of their own.
American’s momentum never recovered. The Eagles didn’t score from the field again, only scoring off of free throws for the rest of the game as Holy Cross began to rain 3-pointers on American. Despite the Eagles’ best efforts, Holy Cross came away victorious, 70-58. Senior forward Meg Cahalan led all players in points with 25.
The Crusaders’ key to victory was the paint, scoring 34 points inside the painted area compared to the Eagles’ 16. Despite the loss, American kept finding ways to get back into the game through consistent scoring from beyond the arc and gritty defensive play.
“I thought we battled really hard. You know, we’re young, we’re still trying to learn, but these moments are going to help us for March,” head coach Kelly Killion said after the game. “We’re made of fighters, and these kids put their hard hats on everyday and they battle.”
American will travel to Easton, Pennsylvania to face the Lafayette Leopards on Jan. 31.
This article was edited by Connor Sturniolo, Matthias Jaylen Sandoval and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Avery Grossman, Ryan Sieve and Ava Stuzin.
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