NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University women's basketball team fell to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference counterpart Siena, 94-80 on Saturday afternoon. The Saints took control with a fast start at the Hynes Center to take the second straight win over the Gaels.
 
Iona scored a season-high in the setback to the Saints, junior Mya Zaccagnini paced the offense with a career-high 31 points. She made 12 field goals including four three-pointers to pair with four assists and four steals. The scoring mark seventh 30-point game by MAAC student-athlete this season.
 
Graduate student Isabellah Middleton registered 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Junior Zoey Ward chipped in 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Graduate student Ella Fajardo dished out a team-high six assists.

THE RUNDOWN

It was a back and forth first three minutes of action as Siena held on to a slight 6-5 edge. Senior Ale Civera registered the first five Iona points. From there it was all Siena with a 21-8 closing run for the opening stanza to take a 30-15 lead.
 
Siena continued to build its lead to start the second stanza before Iona locked in with a full court press. The final eight minutes of the quarter saw the Gaels defense pick up eight turnovers helping spearhead a 21-10 closing margin to cut the deficit to eight, 46-38. Zaccagnini registered eight points for Iona while Fajardo and Ward tallied four apiece.
 
The Saints built the lead up to 12 to start the third frame. Iona responded with a 7-2 swing capped by a triple from Zaccagnini with 4:53 to go to make it a seven-point game. Siena used a 13-5 closing run from there to make it a 15-point advantage headed to the fourth quarter.
 
Iona looked to answer to start the final frame as both offenses were in rhythm. The Gaels held a slight 20-16 edge through the first 6:32 of the fourth quarter. Zaccagnini led with 11 points during that stretch and her triple made it a nine-point game with 3:28 to play. Siena closed out the game with an 11-8 margin including an 8-of-10 mark from the charity stripe to secure the win over the Gaels and the team's sixth straight.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Zaccagnini bested her previous career-high of 20 points set earlier this season a 31-point showing. She made a career-high 12 field goals and knocked down four threes and three free throws. It was the first 30-point game for Iona since Natalia Otkhumezuri netted 38 points against Marist on January 6, 2024.
• Middleton registered 17 points in her 11^th double-digit scoring effort. She finished just shy of a double-double with nine rebounds and tied her career-high with five assists.
• Ward made it 10 straight games with double digit scoring, finishing with 12 points to go with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• Fajardo registered her second six-assist game in the last three contests for Iona.

THE OPPONENT

• Siena had four scorers finish in double figures led by rookie Francesca Schiro who netted 23 points to pair with five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
• Nicole Melios registered a double-double with 19 points and a game-high 12 rebounds along with four assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
• Caydence Hadley recorded 17 points and Olivia Watkins recorded 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

TEAM STATS

• Siena shot 51.5% as a team while Iona shot 38.1% from the field.
• The Gaels connected on eight three-pointers for a 27.6% clip while the Saints hit seven triples at 29.2%.
• Siena grabbed an opponent high 53 rebounds to Iona's 32 boards.
• The Gaels forced a season-high 27 turnovers leading to 21 points and the Saints forced 15 turnovers for 16 points.

UP NEXT

The Gaels hit the road for a weekend in Western New York next week. It's an early start on Thursday, January 8 as Iona begins the weekend with an 11 a.m. tilt at Niagara.