FAIRFIELD, CONN. (January 5, 2015)—The Sacred Heart women's basketball team fell to Central Connecticut State Monday night 62-49 in the William H. Pitt Center after never managing a lead in the game. Lerae Ettienne (Kensington, Md.), Adaysha Williams (LaCrosse, Wis.) and Tykera Carter (Alexandria, Va.) led the team with eight points each as the Pioneers drop to 6-6 on the season and 1-1 in Northeast Conference play. With the win, the Blue Devils improve to 6-7 and 2-0 against NEC opponents.

The Pioneers chased the Blue Devils from the beginning, as CCSU opened the game with a 6-2 run. With 14:26 on the clock, senior Katie Shepard (Lone Tree, Colo.) laid one in knotting the score at 10, but the scale tipped back in CCSU's favor with Camden Musgrave's jumper. The basket kicked-off a six-point run for CCSU during which they held the Pioneers scoreless for over five minutes.

The Blue Devils continued to expand their lead throughout the half outscoring Sacred Heart 29-21, and took their largest lead of 10 points, 29-19, inside the two-minute mark with a pair of made free throws by Kaley Watras.

CCSU made the first shot of the second half, but with just over 18 minutes to play, Hannah Kimmel (Harpursville, N.Y.) knocked down a triple sparking a 9-2 SHU run bringing the Pioneers within three points of catching the Blue Devils, 33-30. Sacred Heart's offense was halted there as CCSU put 10 unanswered points on the board.

Sacred Heart got into foul trouble at the end of the game, sending the Blue Devils to the line six times in the final three minutes allowing them to further extend their lead.

Tejahne Malone paced CCSU with a game-leading 15 points while shooting 70% (7-10) from the floor.

Sacred Heart is back in action next Saturday, January 10 at 1:00 p.m. when they host Saint Francis U.