BUFFALO – The D'Youville University women's basketball team fell to Wayne State University on Sunday by a score of 86-67.
 
Junior Anna Jankovic (Averill Park, N.Y.) and junior Sofie Fuglsang (Oberanven, Luxembourg) led the Saints in scoring with 18 points. Junior Jaelyn Vleer-Elliott (Waterville, N.Y.) added seven points and made a strong defensive impact for DYU, leading the team with six rebounds and four steals.  
 
The Saints got out to an early 4-3 lead off mid-range jumpers from sophomore Morgan Giancaterino (Orchard Park, N.Y.) and senior Brianne Moxley (Penfield, N.Y.). However, Wayne State would proceed to go on a 12-0 run to take a 15-4 lead with four minutes remaining in the first quarter. A three-pointer from Fuglsang put an end to the run and made it 15-7. A pair of layups from sophomore Isabella Kostyal-Larrier (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) made it 22-11 Wayne State with just over a minute remaining.
 
The Warriors would go up 27-11 early in the second quarter, but five straight points from Jankovic and three-pointers from Fuglsang and freshman Kayla Creighton (Innisfil, Canada) helped the Saints cut the deficit to ten. Wayne State would go on a 10-0 run to stretch their lead out to 20 with five minutes left in the half. Fuglsang's third three-ball of the day made it a 48-30 deficit for the Saints going into halftime.
 
Vleer-Elliott scored the first four points for the Saints out of the break with a layup and two free throws, making it 50-34. The Saints and the Warriors would trade buckets the ensuing few possessions. A three-pointer from Jankovic and layup from Fuglsang would cut the Saints' deficit to 15 with 7:41 to go in the third quarter. A 7-2 run from Wayne State extended their lead back to 20. The Warriors would distance themselves even further from the Saints, taking a 76-50 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
 
A jumper from Moxley, layup from Jankovic, and a trey from Fuglsang fueled a 7-0 run for DYU to make it 81-54 with 6:32 remaining in the final frame. Later in the quarter, the Saints would rattle off a 10-0 run thanks to a ten-footer from Moxley, a three from freshman Ava Pearson (Colonie, N.Y.), three free throws from Kostyal-Larrier, and a jumper in the paint from Creighton with 1:17 left to play in the fourth. Wayne State sank a free throw with 22 seconds left to seal the victory.
 
The Saints are back in action next Friday for a conference matchup against Queens College at 5:30 p.m.