SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (December 29, 2025) — The King's College women's basketball team showed resilience and determination on Monday afternoon, nearly completing a second-half comeback before falling 56–53 to Salisbury University in a tightly contested matchup in their first game of the Puerto Rico College Sports Tours Clasico. The Monarchs trailed at halftime but outscored the Sea Gulls in both the third and fourth quarters, with the game coming down to the final possession.
Salisbury controlled the early pace, limiting King's offensively in the opening quarter and taking a 7–5 lead after one. The Sea Gulls extended their advantage in the second, using a 13–0 run to build a double-digit lead and heading into halftime up 24–15.
King's responded with its best stretch of the afternoon in the third quarter. Led by dominant inside play from Lauren Casey and improved ball movement, the Monarchs outscored Salisbury 21–20 in the period to cut into the deficit. Momentum carried into the fourth, where King's continued to apply pressure on both ends, trimming the lead to one possession with under a minute to play.
Despite multiple defensive stops late, the Monarchs were unable to convert on the final trip as Salisbury held on for the three-point win.
Casey led all scorers with a standout performance, finishing with 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting while adding 13 rebounds for a double-double. Cadie Lewis followed with 17 points and five assists, while Gianna Dickson contributed defensively with three steals and three rebounds. Claire Aufiero added four points and three rebounds, and Irelynd Long chipped in two points and two assists.
As a team, King's shot 39.6 percent from the field and forced 17 Salisbury turnovers, converting them into 12 points. The Monarchs were outscored in the first half but won the second half 38–32, showcasing their defensive intensity and late-game execution.
The Monarchs (6–3) will look to carry that momentum into their next matchup when they return to action tomorrow against Kenyon College at 9am EST.
--MONARCHS--
