WILKES-BARRE, PA (January 3, 2024) -- The King's College women's basketball team exploded for a 28-18 advantage, but the comeback fell short in a 64-61 setback to the visiting FDU-Florham in their Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) opener in McGrane Gymnasium. The Monarchs open conference play 0-1 and drop to 3-9 overall, while the Devils begin 1-0 with an 8-3 mark.
 
The visiting FDU-Florham (8-3, 1-0 MAC Freedom) took charge early with a six-point spurt mid way through the first quarter to hold a 13-7 edge over King's (3-9, 0-1 MAC Freedom) at the end of the period. The teams traded possessions to start the second before the Devils used another 5-0 run to jump ahead 23-13 with 3:14 remaining in the half. After chipping away at the deficit to close within eight, 25-17, with 2:19 to go, the game saw FDU-Florham out score the hosts 7-3 down the stretch to trail 32-20 at the break.
 
FDU-Florham surged out of the locker room, leading by as much as 18, 42-24, with 4:37 left in the third before King's began to stage their comeback as Kathy Shepherd scored eight of the Monarchs nine points to end the third and close within 46-33. It was an evenly contested fourth quarter to start before the Devils hit back-to-back baskets and push their lead to 56-39 with 5:53 to go.
 
King's had an answer, scoring the next 11 points in the game, including four points from Rowan Murray and a pair of threes from Cadie Lewis and Shepherd, to close within seven, 56-49, with 3:34 on the game clock. The Devils rallied for the next five, but it was Shepherd again with a timely three to spark a 12-0 run from the Monarchs as they tied the game at 61 a piece with 36 ticks to go. King's was forced to foul and put FDU-Florham on the charity stripe where they connected for 3-of-4 in the final 10 seconds, and a last-stitch effort at the buzzer came up short as King's fell, 64-61, in the comeback effort in their MAC Freedom opener in McGrane Gymnasium.
 
Shepherd poured in a new career-high 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, while Gianna Dickson added 14 points with a pair of assists and steals. Juleesah Hines grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds to go along with seven points, while Brenna Costello posted eight points, four steals, and four boards. Additionally, Rowan Murray collected nine caroms with three steals and two helpers, and Cadie Lewis dished out a team-leading four assists with four rebounds and six points.
 
Neysa Aguilar led all scorers with 27 points, while Shannon Tighe posted a double-double of 19 points and 22 rebounds with three blocks and two steals.
 
Despite facing first-half shooting struggles, the Monarchs shot 40% from the field in the second half while connecting for six of their seven made threes in the contest. King's limited the Devils to an abysmal 7.1% (1-14) from beyond the arc in the setback while forcing 21 FDU-Florham miscues. The Monarchs were slightly edged in the rebounding margin, 49-44, while handing out 10 helpers on 21 field goals. Inside the stat sheet, the Monarchs had the advantage in points off turnovers (19-12), second-chance points (15-10), bench points (26-7), and fast break points (18-12).
 
King's will look to bounce back on Saturday afternoon as they face Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa. at 1:00 p.m.