NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A layup from sophomore Zoey Ward with 2.6 seconds left lifted the Iona University women's basketball team past Mount St. Mary's, 62-60 on Thursday evening at the Hynes Athletic Center. The Gaels battled for all 40 minutes for their seventh win of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play and snapped the Mountaineers seven-game winning streak.
 
Senior Judith Gomez led the Maroon & Gold with her second double-double of the season with a team-high 16 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Senior Erin Leary also registered her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She added four assists and a team-high four blocks. Senior Ella Fajardo also finished in double figures with 13 points to pair with a game-high seven assists.

THE RUNDOWN

The Gaels were hot from distance to start the game as Fajardo and Leary hit triples on the first two possessions. Mount punched back with a 7-0 run to take lead with 6:23 left to go in the quarter. It was back and forth from there as both teams made four field goals each over the next 5:40 of play. The visitors would sink a triple in the final seconds to take a 18-15 lead at quarters end.
 
Iona punched back with a torrid start to the second quarter of play with a 9-0 opening run that forced Mount St. Mary's to take a timeout. Gomez led the charge with eight points during that stretch to give Iona a 24-18 lead with 5:01 to go. The Mountaineers regrouped out of the break with an 6-2 closing stretch to cut the deficit down to two, 26-24 at the intermission.
 
Fajardo and Leary paced the offense with four points each out of the break as Iona went on an 8-4 stretch in the first 3:24 of the restart. From there Mount St. Mary's went on a 9-2 run to reclaim the lead, 42-38 with 1:10 left to play. Ward brought the score to 42-41 with :35 seconds on a spot up triple to cap the scoring in the third frame.
 
Mount St. Mary's extended its lead on the opening basket of the final quarter. Iona was there to answer with three triples from junior Ale Civera, Fajardo and then Gomez to take a 50-46 advantage with 8:17 to go. The Mountaineers then went on the largest run of the game with an 11-0 swing to jump back in front 57-50 with 4:37 left. Senior Talia DePetrillo broke the run with a 5-0 spurt on a knock down triple then a steal and score for the Gaels. A hook shot in the lane by Gomez followed to tie the game up once again. Mount quickly reclaimed the lead on a layup before Fajardo drained the clutch three-pointer for the 60-59 lead with 2:03 to go. Both teams locked in on the defensive end holding the opposition scoreless. With the shot clock off, Mount was fouled with four seconds left but only made one free throw to tie the game up. Out of the Iona timeout to advance the ball, DePetrillo found Ward down low for the game winning layup to secure the 62-60 victory.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Gomez was 6-of-10 from the field with four made three-pointers. Her 16 rebounds were a new career-high.
• Leary posted 13 points on six made field goals to go with 10 rebounds, four blocks and four assists for the all-around game.
• Fajardo posted 10 of her 13 points in the second half for the Gaels. She dished out a game-high seven assists, four of which came in the final two quarters.
• DePetrillo had a standout second half for the Maroon & Gold with a team-high four second half assists to go with five of her seven points on the night.
• Ward grabbed eight rebounds to go with five points.

THE OPPONENT

• Jo Raflo registered a game-high 21 points and recorded a team-high seven rebounds.
• Tessa Engelman posted seven points, five assists and five blocks for Mount.
• Giana Hoddinott recorded six points and a team-high six assists. 

TEAM STATS

• The back-and-forth contest saw Mount St. Mary's shoot 38.6% while Iona shot 37.3%.
• Both teams came into the night one and two in three-point shooting during conference play. The Gaels shot 36.7% from downtown with 11 made three-pointers and Mount was held to seven triples on a 33.3% clip.
• Iona dominated the glass with a season-high 45 rebounds while Mount St. Mary's only registered 31 rebounds.
• Mount committed 11 turnovers that led to 10 Iona points, the Gaels committed 16 turnovers but that only led to 12 points for the Mountaineers.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• The seventh MAAC victory bests last season's league win total for the Gaels.
• Iona improves to 5-1 all-time over Mount St. Mary's
• Gomez picked up her second double-double of the season and the fifth of her career. Her 16 rebounds bested her previous career-high of 13 set last season at Saint Peter's. It was her 11^th double digit scoring effort of the season.
• Leary posted her second double-double in the last three games and the 22^nd of her collegiate career. She also registered her ninth multi-block game with four blocks tonight.
• Fajardo finished in double figures for the fifth straight game and the 12^th time this season. Her seven assists tied her season-high for a third time.

UP NEXT

The Gaels continue the homestand at the Hynes Athletic Center on Saturday, February 8 with a 1:00 p.m. matchup against Marist.