AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball once again showcased their flair for the heartstopping on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Keiser University Seahawks, 60-59, at Donahue Gym. The Gyrenes' last four victories have been by a combined six points, including one-point wins against Florida Memorial, St. Thomas, and now Keiser. The win secured a .500 conference record for the Gyrenes, a massive step up from the program's 5-15 record last season.
The first quarter was a tale of two runs. Ave Maria jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first three and a half minutes, with four different Gyrenes making a layup. For the remainder of the quarter, Keiser outscored the Gyrenes by a 19-8 margin, giving the visitors a lead at the end of the first quarter. That 19-16 lead was courtesy of Chiara de Virgilio, who knocked down a three-pointer in the closing moments of the opening frame.
Keiser kept the momentum going into the second quarter, hitting two three-pointers in the first 64 seconds to widen the lead to nine points. The Gyrenes would chip their way back into the game, getting within two on a Gianna Santacroce three-pointer. Keiser was then able to score the final five points of the half, taking a seven-point lead into the break.
Ave Maria trailed by nine with under eight minutes to play in the third quarter, but started to rally in the final minutes of the frame. Down by eight, the Gyrenes outscored the Seahawks 14-5 in the final seven minutes of the quarter, and took the lead for the first time since the first quarter on an and-one from Monica Behrend with ten seconds left in the quarter.
Neither team could gain any major traction in the fourth quarter, as the lead never expanded above four points. The lead changed hands three times, the last of which came on an Isabella Starzyk layup with 1:05 to play, giving AMU a 60-59. The Gyrenes forced a turnover with 42 seconds left, but missed both free throws on their next trip down the floor. Keiser's final chance to win it was blocked by Colleen Shanahan, and Emily Rapacz grabbed the rebound that sealed Ave Maria's 15th win.
Gianna Santacroce knocked down four three-pointers for the Gyrenes, finishing the regular season second in the league. The freshman led Ave Maria with 14 points, while Lavariah Armstead narrowly missed out on a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds. Casey Humphrey and Colleen Shanahan both had ten points, and Shanahan blocked three shots to move just one away from the single-season AMU record.
After playing a thriller on Saturday, the Gyrenes and the Seahawks will run it back on Tuesday night, with the site shifting to West Palm Beach. Fifth-seeded Ave Maria and fourth-seeded Keiser, both 8-8 in Sun Conference play, will look to punch their ticket to the conference final four in Lakeland on Friday. Tipoff on the Keiser University campus is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday night.
