EMMITSBURG, Md. (December 19, 2022) – Opening their home conference schedule, the Mount St. Mary's women's basketball team got pushed to the absolute limit by the visiting Siena Saints. But the home team held on and made clutch plays at the end of the game to achieve victory, 65-59, at Knott Arena.
 
Improving to 5-5 (1-1 MAAC), the Mount captured their first triumph in the new conference. They also maintained their perfect record at home.
 
Jessica Tomasetti was a primary factor in the win, recording her first career double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. The boards are a career high, as were the four steals registered by the junior. Michaela Harrison led all scorers with 19 points.
 
For the third time this season, Mount St. Mary's won despite trailing in field goal percentage, shooting 37.5 percent to Siena's 40 percent. Turnovers helped the Mount's cause, committing nine to the opponents' 23. Steals were plentiful with 13, a season best for the team.
 
Siena fell to 6-5 (0-1 MAAC). Anajah Brown tallied a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. A downfall in the Saints' defeat was free throw shooting as they went 6-for-15 from the charity stripe.
 
Both teams battled back-and-forth in a tightly contested first quarter. Over the 10 minutes, the game was tied four times and featured a pair of lead changes. Carissa Dunham leveled the score at 18 with a steal and breakaway layup, but Siena countered with a driver from Elisa Mevius to go up 20-18 heading to the second period.
 
Forcing turnovers and drawing trips to the foul line, the Mount was able to build an advantage. By half's end the home side had eight steals and reached the bonus with 4:37 to go. The lead went as high as double digits at two junctions from Harrison – including a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to earn a 38-28 score at the break.
 
Siena was quick to make attempts and carve into their deficit. They were successful a couple of times in the third period, but the Mountaineers hung on. Tomasetti hit a driving floater as time expired in the frame, and the Mount only conceded two points into the lead.
 
That lead proved vital heading into the fourth quarter. A major momentum swing occurred 40 seconds in when Siena's Ahniysha Jackson drilled a three-pointer and was fouled on the attempt. The forward converted the four-point play, halving the deficit in an instant. Another push inside of five minutes completed a 9-0 run as Angel Jones hit a jumper to tie the game at 58.
 
On the ensuing possession, Isabella Hunt cleaned up a missed shot to allow a second chance. The Mount bled the clock all the way down with Tomasetti holding the ball. Driving into the lane, the junior connected on another floater to regain the lead. Siena then broke past the defense, forcing Hunt to try and take a charge. Called for a block instead, the infraction forced Hunt from the game.
 
The Mount called a timeout to regroup ahead by one, and the play that would be drawn up worked to perfection. Natalie Villaflor found Jo Raflo on an entry pass, and the sophomore laid it home to extend the lead to 62-59. Siena would not score again, with possessions limited thanks to a key rebound from Jasmine Lindsay-Huskey.
 
Mount St. Mary's heads to Cherokee, North Carolina for a neutral site game against East Tennessee State. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 22) from Harrah's Cherokee Casino.