CASTINE--Senior Erianna Moore led Maine Maritime Academy with 24 points, and classmate Sydney Briscoe added 14 points and a game-best seven rebounds, but the host Mariners' rally bid from 18 points down in the fourth quarter fell just shy in an 82-74 defeat at the hands of Keene State College in non-conference women's basketball action at the Smith Gymnasium on Sunday. The Mariners drop to 3-2 on the season while the Owls pick up their first victory in five outings.

Maine Maritime Highlights

• Junior Evelyn Dagan chipped in 12 points on four 3-pointers and three rebounds.
• Moore also pulled down six rebounds.
• Senior Makenzie Monzon dished up a season-high seven assists (against zero turnovers) to top all playmakers.

Keene State Highlights

• Brynn Rautiola poured in 36 points to lead all scorers on 12-for-27 from the field, including 8-of-19 from three-point land.
• Ruby Dasaro and Valerie Luizzi (4 assists) contributed 18 and 10 points, respectively.
• Samantha Lee recorded three of her team's seven steals, and Avery Stewart led the Owls with six rebounds.

How it Happened

• Keene State built the largest lead of the fourth quarter at 18 points, 74-56, on a Luizzi trey with 6 minutes and 24 seconds left in the game.
• But the Mariners responded with a 10-0 run over a 4:53 span to get within 74-66. Moore ignited the furious comeback bid with eight points during that stretch.
• The 1:33 time remaining, however, was working against the Mariners who couldn't get any closer than eight points.
• In the third quarter, the Owls had a 27-point cushion (65-38) at the 3:00 mark. They entered the fourth with a 68-50 advantage.
• Keene State outscored MMA 24-13 in the second stanza to go into the halftime break up 42-29.
• The teams played a tight first quarter that featured five lead changes and a tie. The Mariners enjoyed a 16-10 lead at the 3:51 mark after back-to-back baskets from junior Jasmine Anderson and Moore, but the Owls ended on an 8-0 run to lead 18-16.
• Angel Pillsbury's (6 points) trey with 13 seconds left in the first quarter put KSC up for good.
• Maine Maritime committed a season-low 12 turnovers, but the Owls outscored MMA on miscues, 19-14.
• The Mariners struggled at the free throw line (66.7 percent; 18-27), but the Owls made seven more 3-pointers (15-8).
• Maine Maritime outrebounded KSC 34-29 and outscored the Owls on fast-break points, 21-6.

Beyond the Boxscore

• The Owls even the all-time series 2-2 as the teams were meeting in Castine for the first time ever.
• Before today, the programs last met on November 10, 2018--a 49-46 MMA win in Keene, N.H.
• Dagan leads the conference with 2.8 three-point field goals made per game.

Next Up

• Maine Maritime will commence the North Atlantic Conference docket on Wednesday when it travels to nearby Bangor to take on rival Husson University for a 5:30 tip-off.