BOX SCORE EASTON, Mass. – Aquillin Hayes (Harlem, N.Y./Wings Academy) scored 23 of her 27 points in the second half as the University of New Haven women's basketball team erased a 17-point deficit at Stonehill before falling to the host Skyhawks, 73-69.
 
With the loss, New Haven stands at 12-6 overall and 7-5 in the Northeast-10. Stonehill, which is among those receiving votes in this week's WBCA national poll, improves to 11-5 with an 8-4 record.
 
Hayes' 27 points match her career high established on Jan. 14 in a win at Saint Michael's. This afternoon, she shot 9-for-21 from the field and 9-for-9 from the free throw line while nearing a double-double with nine rebounds. Hayes also scored 20 points in Wednesday's loss to No. 1 Bentley.
 
Bria Moore (West Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career) added 12 points with four rebounds – all from the offensive glass – and Ayana Duncanson (Elmont, N.Y./Francis Lewis) netted eight points with a team-leading 11 boards and four steals. Rykema Stone (Bronx, N.Y./Wings Academy) chipped in with six points and eight rebounds.
 
Collectively, New Haven shot 24-for-66 (36.4 percent) from the field, 1-for-8 (12.5 percent) from three-point range and 20-for-24 (83.3 percent) from the free throw line. The Chargers earned a 47-35 rebounding advantage, including 21 offensive rips that led to 19 second-chance points. Each team committed 13 turnovers.
 
Mary Louise Dixon led Stonehill with 23 points, and Tori Faieta collected a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Skyhawks were 25-for-61 (41 percent) from the floor, 10-for-28 (35.7 percent) from beyond the arc and 13-for-20 (65 percent) from the stripe.
 
After trailing by an early 10-2 count, two buckets apiece from Moore and Stone pulled the Chargers even at 10-10 with six minutes gone in the opening half. New Haven would again erase a deficit – this time climbing back from nine points down – but the Skyhawks ended the half on a run to take a 40-31 advantage into the locker room.
 
Stonehill connected on back-to-back three-pointers to open the second half, constructing a 17-point cushion at 50-33 with 18:28 to go. The lead held at 59-44 with 11:22 remaining, at which point New Haven ripped off a 10-0 run featuring six points from Hayes to close the gap to 59-54 with 6:41 left. The Skyhawks rebuild a seven-point edge before a Hayes three-point play and, after two Stonehill free throws, six consecutive points from the Chargers' junior knotted the score at 65-65 with 1:44 left.
 
However, Stonehill would net the next six points and overcome four missed free throws in the game's final 20 seconds to hold off New Haven for a 73-69 win.
 
Up next, New Haven heads farther north to Southern New Hampshire to meet the Penmen on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m. The Blue and Gold return home to host Merrimack on Saturday, Feb. 1.