The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team lost a defensive battle versus Army, 53-44, at Christl Arena in West Point, NY, Wednesday night. The Knights fall to 2-4 on the season, while the Black Knights improve to 5-3 overall.

Mariyah Laury led the team with 10 points.  Jasmyra Saunders and Jordan Sykes added nine and eight points, respectively.  Saunders grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds to lead the Knights.

Army jumped out to a 7-2 lead before the Knights answered back with an 8-0 run to take a 10-7 lead.  The teams went back and forth throughout the first half.  Amy Longo's buzzer beater at the end of the first half put the Knights down 21-20 at intermission. 

Both teams played great defense in the first half as both teams struggled to make baskets.  Each team only made seven field goals. 

The second half continued to be a defensive battle.  Army was able to take a 32-28 lead with 13:12 to go in the second half before the Knights went on a 7-0 run capped by Longo's three pointer from the corner to take a 35-32 lead.

After Army tied the game, Jenna Strich's three-pointer from the top of the key and Longo's turnaround jumper the next time down the floor put the Knights up 40-36 with 8:23 to go.  However, after forcing Army to miss on its next possession, Molly Yardley stole the ball after the FDU rebound.  She was then fouled on a layup and converted a three-point play to cut the Knights' lead to one.

The Knights took the lead once more, 42-41, on a Saunders layup with 5:23 left in the second half.  Army went on an 11-3 run to end the game.  The Knights cut it to 46-44 on Alyssa Mayrose's layup with 3:22 to go, but that was the last basket FDU scored.

Each team struggled offensively throughout the night.  The Knights shot 28 percent for the game while Army, who did much better from the field in the second half, finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field.  The Knights won the rebounding battle for the first time this season as they outrebounded Army, 39-38.  The Knights also only turned the ball over seven times, a season-low. 

Defensively, Kayla Killian and Esther Wallace were able to hold Army's Erin Anthony to six points, 13 points below her season average.  Anthony came into the game averaging double figures in both scoring and rebounding.

"We went on a really good run to take a 40-36 lead," said Head Coach Pete Cinella. "Army stepped up.  They grabbed big offensive rebounds down the stretch.  They are a well-coached team and have hard-nosed players.  We need to do a better job of rebounding late in the game."

Jessie Coiffard recorded a double-double to lead Army.  She had 16 points and 10 rebounds.  Yardley added 11 points for the Black Knights. 

The Knights are back in action at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 at home to open up the Northeast Conference season versus Sacred Heart.