SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Returning to the court for the first time in eight days, the New Haven women's basketball team dropped a 71-62 road decision to American International. With the loss, the Chargers fall to 3-2 on the season and 1-2 in the Northeast-10 Conference.

Leading the Blue and Gold on the night was senior Aurora Deshaies (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) who was one of three Chargers to finish in double figures with 18 points, while breaking her season-long double double streak, closing out the night with seven boards. Joining Deshaies in leading the Chargers was graduate student Camryn DeBose (Wellington, Fla./Wellington Community) with 16 points and senior Marigona Bacaliu (Worcester, Mass./Putnam Science Academy) with 15.

As a team, New Haven finished the game shooting 44 percent (23-of-52) with five of those buckets from outside the arc. They also added 11 points at the free throw line, while once again outrebounding their opponent 45-26.

After spending the last two games on the road, the Chargers will return to the friendly confines of Charger Gymnasium as they look to expand a 3-0 record on their home court. Next to visit West Haven will be Franklin Pierce who makes the trek from Rindge on Saturday, December 3 with tip off scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with men's team. All of the action in the NE10 battle can be seen live on the Charger Sprots Network, part of NE10 NOW.

FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         The Chargers had a hard time missing in the first quarter, connecting on 7-of-9 from the field for a 77.8 percent average, with two of those buckets from outside the arc. The two squads would finish the opening quarter knotted at 19.

·         After trading the first three buckets of the game, the Chargers rattled off three straight, the first from Briana Van Cleaf (Staten Island, N.Y./Notre Dame Academy) and the next two from Deshaies.

·         The Chargers would match that early four point lead two buckets later thanks to a three pointer from DeBose, before expanding their lead to as much as six with 3:31 to play thanks to a pull-up jumper in the paint from Deshaies.

·         The Chargers would hold onto a lead until the final 43 seconds thanks to a three pointer from the Yellow Jackets that provided an 18-16 lead. Bacaliu would answer with a three of her own before AIC scored the final point of the quarter at the free throw line.

SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         AIC came out of that first intermission by rattling off eight straight points forcing the Chargers to call for time. Deshaies would break up that momentum, scoring the visitors first bucket of the quarter 2:30 into the action.

·         However, the Yellow Jackets didn't falter as they would score the next five to take their first double digit lead of the game.

·         Trailing by 10 with 3:34 before the half, the Chargers answered by scoring the final eight points of the half, from four different players, with the final bucket of the half a layup from Deshaies off a Yellow Jacket turnover that provided the 34-32 margin going into the locker room.

THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         Deshaies started the second half the way she ended the first, scoring on a layup just 22 seconds into the action to knot the game at 34.

·         AIC didn't stand by, regaining a double digit lead on a pair of three throws with 5:02 remaining in the third.

·         After a scoreless 90 seconds for both teams, the Yellow Jackets struck again to extend their lead to 14, 51-37, with 3:35 remaining.

·         Bacailiu would break up that Yellow Jacket momentum with back-to-back buckets of her own to pull within 10, 51-41.

·         The teams would trade buckets the remaining 2:17 as AIC closed out the third quarter with a 10 point advantage in the period and a 57-45 lead at the break.

FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         Coming out of the final break, the Chargers cut the lead back to single digits thanks a driving layup from Bacaliu 58 seconds into the action.

·         The Chargers would cut their deficit back to single digits twice more before the final buzzer and got as close as seven with 47 seconds remaining thanks to a three pointer from DeBose.