Stony Brook, N.Y. -- Playing without its leading scorer, the UMBC Women's Basketball team battled valiantly, but fell at first-place Stony Brook, 66-56.

Graduate Student Onome-Juliet Esadah (Warri, Delta State, Nigeria) picked up her sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 12 points and 11 assists. UMBC leading scorer Janee'a Summers missed the contest with a non-Covid related illness.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Jatarrikah Settle's (Frederick, Md.) basket with 29 seconds to play in the first quarter gave the visitors a 12-11 lead after one.
• But the Seawolves (22-3, 13-2 AE) opened the second quarter on a 8-0 run and held UMBC scoreless for the first  6:09 of the period.
• SBU outscored UMBC, 18-6 to start the quarter, but Keelah Dixon (Boston, Mass.) converted a three-point play with 47 seconds left in the half to slice the Retrievers' halftime deficit to 29-21
• Esadah scored six third quarter points to reach double digits, but the Retrievers trailed, 51-35 after 30 minutes
• Loan-Anh (Wichita, Kan.) scored five in the fourth, but UMBC could get no closer than 10 the rest of the wey

The Retrievers return home to host Vermont on Saturday at 3:30.