Sacred Heart
12-17,10-10MAAC
Fairfield
25-4,19-1MAAC
Nascimento's 16 Leads the Way in Regular Season Finale at Fairfield
2/28/2026 9:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Fairfield, Conn. – For the eighth time this season and the sixth time in MAAC conference play, rookie Sophie Nascimento finished in double figures, leading the Pioneers in a 67-50 loss at crosstown rival Fairfield in the final game of the regular season.
Nascimento's 16 points represented the only Pioneer to finish in double figures as she closed out the night shooting 5-of-11 from the field, with one three pointer, and was 5-of-6 at the free throw line. Twelve of her 16 points came in the second half, while she also compiled five assists on the night.
Joining the first year in leading the Pioneers on the night was the junior duo of Emma Kirby and Nalyce Dudley who each finished with nine points. Kirby added to that effort with a team-high nine rebounds, while Dudley finished with five.
As a team, the Pioneers closed out the game shooting 40.9 percent, connecting on 18-of-44 field goal attempts. Among the 18 baskets were four from outside the arc, while the Pioneers also went 10-of-12 at the free throw line.
RECORDS
Sacred Heart: 12-17, 10-10 MAAC
Fairfield: 23-4, 19-1 MAAC
TOP PERFORMERS
Sophie Nascimento: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists
Nalyce Dudley: 9 points, 5 rebounds
Emma Kirby: 9 points, 9 rebounds
Amelia Wood: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals
FIRST QUARTER NOTES
· Despite winning the opening tip it was the Pioneers who struck first with back-to-back layups from Kirby and Nascimento that provided an early 4-0 lead.
· The Stags answered with back-to-back of their own, including a three pointer which amounted to the first lead change of the evening.
· Nascimento responded with another lead change with a free throw line jumper, however the Stags answered that with a 7-0 rally to take a 12-6 lead.
· Wood put an end to that Stags surge when she cut off a pass outside the arc, converting the fastbreak layup on opposite end.
· Coming off the bench, Faith Pappas followed Wood with a corner three pointer to make it a one point game.
· It was the home team that had the final work with a layup with 2:16 to play with both teams going empty over the final two minutes and the quarter coming to a close with a 14-11 Fairfield lead.
SECOND QUARTER NOTES
· The Pioneers' defense was the story in the second quarter, surrendering just one basket in the first seven attempts for the Stags while forcing them to finish 1-9 to close out the half.
· That lone basket in the first part of the quarter opened up the scoring before Missy Nuku put the Pioneers on the board with a top-of-the-key three pointer.
· Kirby followed that with a jumper to knot the game at 16 before the Stags answered with back-to-back three pointers which broke up the 1-7 start from the field for the home team.
· Dudley answered those two buckets with a layup which the Stags answered back on the next possession, however that would end up being the final basket of the half for Fairfield.
· Dudley would connect again to begin what amounted to be a 7-0 run to close out the half which she also put an exclamation point on with a clutch three pointer that gave the Pioneers their first lead of the second period with 35 seconds remaining.
· After an empty possession for the Stags, Dudley would have three seconds to get up the court where she took a long attempt just inside the halfcourt line which went off the back of the iron to keep the halftime score at 25-24.
THIRD QUARTER NOTES
· Kirby opened up the third quarter action with a pir of free throws while it was Nascimento who net the first field goal of the frame which gave the Pioneers a 29-26 lead.
· Fairfield responded by scoring five unanswered, the last three on a three-pointer that provided the first lead change of the half.
· Nascimento answered right back with a corner three pointer to put the lead back in favor of the Pioneers and followed that up with a pair of free throws to extend the lead back to three.
· Dudley then answered a pair of free throws for the Stags with her first points of the half with 3:31 remaining.
· Momentum would shift following that basket as Fairfield would score nine straight to take a 42-36 lead. Five of the nine points came at the line as the Stags were presented three-straight trips to the stripe.
· Wood cut off the Stags momentum with a layup just inside the final minute while Nascimento had the final word of the quarter as she drove to the hoop for a pair with one second remaining, cutting the Stags lead to 44-40 at the final break.
FOURTH QUARTER NOTES
· Fairfield came out of the final intermission to score five points in the first 51 seconds, forcing a Pioneers timeout and quickly turning the momentum back in their favor.
· Defensively, Fairfield would limit Sacred Heart to just two points, both of which came at the free throw line, over the first seven-plus minutes.
· Nuku would be the first to break the momentum with the first basket of the quarter, a free throw line jumper with 2:19 remaining.
· After Fairfield extended the lead to its largest margin of the game, 67-44, Sacred Heart closed out the game with the final six points on a pair of free throws each from Nuku and Nascimento and a layup from Kirby which was the final basket of the night with 6.2 seconds remaining.
NEXT
With the regular season now complete, the Pioneers will turn their attention to the MAAC Championship after securing the No. 7 seed in the upcoming tournament. Sacred Heart will open up action on Thursday, March 5 with first round action set for 2:30 p.m. against the No. 10 seed Saint Peter's. All of the action live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City will be available live on ESPN+.
