Rutherford NJ - Felician University Women's Basketball had a smaller trip right before the break to go up against Pace University. The Golden Falcons came into this matchup with a Pace team that's on a 3 game winning streak. The Golden Falcons would ultimately fall against Pace 79-61, bringing the Golden Falcons their 3rd loss in a row. Here's how the game turned out.

First Half - Felician Women's Basketball had a determined first half against Pace, showing moments of energy and resilience despite trailing 31-47 at halftime. The first quarter saw a slow start, but Stephanie Formby provided an early spark with a 3-pointer assisted by Natalia Lucic, getting Felician on the board. Ane Valle contributed with a layup off a Katherine Ritchie assist, keeping the game competitive. Formby added another layup, and Valle's jumper, also assisted by Ritchie, gave the team some offensive momentum. Defensively, Formby and Lucic grabbed key rebounds, while Noella Biduaya added two defensive boards to limit Pace's scoring opportunities. The quarter ended with Felician trailing 12-19. In the second quarter, Felician came out aggressively. Deviney Jackson scored a layup, assisted by Biduaya, within the first few seconds. Shortly after, Biduaya drained a 3-pointer off a Jackson assist, helping Felician chip away at the deficit. Katherine Ritchie led the offense in the quarter with consistent scoring, including a layup and a jumper, while Formby added an assisted layup late in the period. Defensively, Biduaya and Isabella Kyriakopoulos each recorded key steals, while Formby and Biduaya contributed crucial rebounds to sustain possessions. Felician's hustle and improved ball movement allowed them to put up 31 points by halftime, but they still faced a tough Pace team that maintained a 47-31 lead.

Second Half - In the second half of the game, Felician faced several challenges but showed resilience and effort throughout. The half began with substitutions as Shanice Sinclair, Katumina Mansaray, and Arianna Stockinger checked in for Mari Lee, Tower Lorde, and Cali Chiocchi. Despite a missed three-pointer by Noella Biduaya, Deviney Jackson secured an offensive rebound, and Stephanie Formby followed up with a good layup in the paint, bringing Felician's score to 33, trailing by 14 points. Moments later, Noella Biduaya made a jumper assisted by Ane Valle, cutting the deficit to 12. However, turnovers and missed opportunities, including missed layups and three-pointers, continued to hinder Felician's offensive flow. Felician saw another scoring surge with contributions from Katherine Ritchie and Ane Valle. Ritchie's layup and Valle's fastbreak jumper brought the score to 40-51, narrowing the gap to 11 points. Despite their efforts, turnovers and missed free throws limited their ability to capitalize on momentum. Felician's defense fought hard, with Stephanie Formby grabbing rebounds and scoring in the paint, reducing the deficit to single digits at 48-57 with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter. However, turnovers and missed opportunities prevented Felician from fully closing the gap. In the fourth quarter, Felician continued to battle but struggled to capitalize on opportunities. Stephanie Formby added key layups, and Noella Biduaya hit a three-pointer to bring Felician to 51 points. Felician fought hard to stay within striking distance, but turnovers and missed shots ultimately hindered their ability to make up ground. In the final moments, Deviney Jackson and Joselish De Pool contributed points, with De Pool sinking two free throws to bring the score to 61-77. Despite their best efforts, Felician couldn't close the gap and ended the game with a score of 79-61. The second half highlighted Felician's perseverance and individual performances, but missed opportunities ultimately made the difference.

The Golden Falcons get to enjoy the winter break then get ready to go up against Georgian Court on January 4th at 1:00 PM!