BOX SCORE NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — The University of New Haven women's basketball team (7-22, 5-13 NEC) fell to Central Connecticut State University (2-27, 2-16 NEC) in a 60-50 road matchup at Detrick Gymnasium. The Chargers recorded 41 rebounds and nine steals during the contest.

Central Connecticut State held a narrow 15-14 lead over the Blue & Gold at the end of the first quarter. Lindsay Hogan (Bayville, N.Y./Locust Valley) started strong for New Haven, scoring on a fast-break layup at 9:14 and adding a jumper and a three-pointer. Kiyah Lewis led Central Connecticut State with a three-pointer and a layup plus a free throw to edge her team ahead. Despite four steals and strong defensive pressure from New Haven, Central Connecticut State maintained their lead through balanced shooting and rebounding.

In the second quarter, Central Connecticut State capitalized on turnovers and fast-break opportunities. Cierra Pearson's defensive play, highlighted by a steal and multiple rebounds, fueled their scoring run. New Haven briefly took the lead with Hogan's three-pointer and Renelle Grannum's (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) free throws, but Central Connecticut State regained control with a series of layups, including one by Lucia Noin with four seconds remaining, closing the half at 33-26.

The third quarter saw Central Connecticut State maintaining their lead, outscoring New Haven 15-13. Aniya McDonald-Perry (Middletown, Conn./Putnam Science Academy) opened the scoring for the Chargers with a layup at 9:47, narrowing the score to 28-33. McDonald-Perry secured at least four offensive rebounds for the eighth consecutive game, supporting her team's efforts. Addisen Sulikowski (Saco, ME/Thornton Academy) added a three-pointer and a layup, both assisted by Grannum, bringing the score to 34-39. However, Central Connecticut State responded with a balanced attack, including a key three-pointer by Noin at 4:13, extending their lead. Despite Jasmine McKay's (West Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) three-pointer at 5:04 to keep New Haven in contention, Central Connecticut State led 48-39 by the quarter's end.

In the fourth quarter, Central Connecticut State held onto their lead to secure the victory. McKay played a crucial role for New Haven with a three-pointer at 8:02 and several free throws, continuing her streak of scoring at least 13 points for three consecutive games. She also executed a fast-break layup with 1:12 remaining, narrowing the deficit to 10 points. Despite a robust defensive effort, including a block from McDonald-Perry, who achieved nine or more rebounds for the second straight game, New Haven was unable to close the gap, finishing the quarter 11-12.

"In our post game, I told the team I have been doing this for a very long time, and I have never been so proud of a group before. In our DI transition, we competed in every game and lost many tough games by single digits. I cannot put into words the fight and energy this team has. I am especially grateful to my two seniors, Aniya and Lindsay. They both have left legacies as Chargers. I love this team," Head Coach Debbie Buff said postgame. 

New Haven Top Performers

Jasmine McKay (West Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon)
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- 13 points
- 5-of-8 free throws
- 5 steals

Aniya McDonald-Perry (Middletown, Conn./Putnam Science Academy)
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- 7 points
- 9 rebounds
- 3 steals

Lindsay Hogan (Bayville, N.Y./Locust Valley)
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- 12 points
- 6 rebounds
- 1 block

Game Notes
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- Aniya McDonald-Perry (Middletown, Conn./Putnam Science Academy) has recorded three or more assists in two consecutive games.