ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Felician University chopped a 20-point second-half deficit to one in the closing seconds but fell short of host Roberts Wesleyan College, 74-71, in non-conference women's basketball action on Friday night at the Vollmer Athletic Center. The game was the 2021-22 season opener for both schools and concluded opening night play at the two-day, four-team Redhawks Classic.

Graduate guard Katelyn Andres (North Bergen, N.J.) topped Felician with 15 points. Golden Falcon sophomore swing player Briana Lee (Jersey City, N.J.) totaled 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Senior guard Taryn Wilson (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Georgia Haverlock (Ithaca, N.Y.) led Roberts Wesleyan with 17 points each.

Felician, which never led, trailed by as much as 13-4 during the first period and 15-9 at its end. The Redhawks were ahead by as many as 16 points during the second quarter before settling for a 34-22 halftime advantage.

A putback by Roberts' Grace Dow (Lafayette, N.Y.) with two minutes, 42 seconds, remaining in period three handed the hosts the largest spread of the night, 51-31. But Felician made up nearly half the deficit in the time that remained, including a buzzer-beating three-point field goal by Sarah McSpadden (Melbourne, Australia), and pulled within 54-43.

Still trailing, 64-50, with 7:26 to play, the Golden Falcons outscored the Redhawks, 16-4, over the next six minutes, slicing the arrears to two points following two Mimmi Hahne (Sollentuna, Sweden) free throws. An empty possession by each side milked the game clock down to 0:23. Roberts made its final six free throw attempts including two by Danielle DiCintio (Somers, N.Y.) at 0:00.3, to offset an Andres three-pointer moments earlier which had closed the Felician gap to 72-71.

Junior transfer Catherine Lecop (Madrid, Spain) finished with 12 points, five assists and four steals in her Felician debut. Hahne, a freshman, amassed eight points and six rebounds. The Golden Falcons held a 48-41 rebounding edge but were limited to 32-percent shooting from the floor.

Felician concludes play in the Redhawks Classic with a 2 p.m. tip against Daemen College on Saturday.