LOUDONVILLE, NY – Leading for all but 23 seconds of the game heading into the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon, the Siena Women's Basketball team would surrender that lead in a 64-57 loss to the Iona Gaels at the UHY Center on National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
 
Leading the way for Iona with 23 points and eight rebounds was Preseason All-MAAC selection Juana Camilion, while Olivia Vezaldenos and Shyan Mwai each scored 13. Ketsia Athias chipped in with five points and nine rebounds. The Gaels would be solid from the free throw line, shooting 82.4 percent (14-for-17). Iona also scored 16 second chance points in the contest.
 
Senior Margo Peterson collected a 20-point game on an 8-for-13 showing from the floor. Fifth-year Selena Philoxy notched her third double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Graduate student DeAnna Winston also got into double-figures, scoring 10 points.
 
It would be a defensive battle in the first half, as the Saints worked their way to a 26-21 halftime lead. Siena led by as many as eight in the first half, with Philoxy adding the extra cushion with a steal and layup just before the buzzer to cap the first half.
 
Despite a strong shooting percentage by the Saints, Iona hung around in the third quarter as Siena never got a lead as large as seven throughout the frame. In the fourth, Iona began to lock down the Saints on offense and shot over 66 percent from the floor. That created a 28 point quarter for the Gaels, as they took the lead for good with 5:08 to play in the fourth and free throws down the stretch to seal the comeback win.
 
The Gaels out rebounded the Saints 35-27, leading to their 16 second chance points. However, the Saints won the battle in the paint outscoring the Gaels 24-22.
 
The Saints return to action on Monday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. when the Green and Gold play host to Niagara at the UHY Center.