EMMITSBURG, Md. (February 15, 2025) – Needing a big fourth quarter to send off Senior Day in style, Mount St. Mary's women's basketball delivered and overcame a second half deficit to defeat Canisius 72-59 Saturday at Knott Arena.
Jo Raflo was the most prolific among the seniors on the stat sheet, leading all scorers with 28 points. Tickling the twine 11 times, she tied her career high for field goals in a game.
Anna LeMaster led in rebounds with six and added seven points.
Rosa Revueltas Pareja played for 10 minutes off the bench and secured a pair of boards.
At the other end of the class years, freshmen
Madison Ruff and
Nyodie Guerard enjoyed solid efforts. Ruff finished with 12 points for the second consecutive contest. Guerard sank three shots, including a pair of three-pointers, earning 11 points by game's end.
For Canisius, Jaela Johnson reached 20 points, and Shariah Gailes earned a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double. Yasmine Djibril grabbed 10 boards in 28 minutes off the bench.
Mount St. Mary's is now 12-11 for the season and 10-4 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). They stand more than two games ahead of fifth place Iona and are engaged in a battle with third place with Siena. Canisius is now 7-17 (6-8 MAAC) this year.
The Golden Griffins – a youthful squad by college standards – proved they would be no pushover. Firing out of the gates, a triple by Irene Rey Pineda put the visitors up 18-7 late in the first quarter. Answering back, the Mount scored the next 15 points to usurp the advantage at 22-18 and force a Canisius timeout. Both sides delivered blows to a 30-29 home team edge at halftime.
A third quarter run gave Canisius optimism for a road victory. Franka Wittenberg laid one in off a turnover for a 44-36 lead to the Griffs. Hope rekindled for the Mountaineers thanks to Ruff and Raflo, who combined for the final six points of the quarter to push the game to 47-46 Canisius heading into the fourth.
Raflo continued to apply the pressure with a driving layup to give the Mount the lead back. Later with the score tied 51-51, she hit a three that would in hindsight prove to be the dagger. Within minutes, the run extended to 10-0 with Guerard free throws, and the home team rode on those coattails to victory.
Back to the road, the Mountaineers will face Saint Peter's next Thursday (Feb. 20) in Jersey City.
