COLCHESTER, Vermont - The American International College women's basketball team fell 73-50 to Saint Michael's College in Northeast 10 Conference play on Wednesday, February 18.

AIC is now 15-9 overall and 9-7 in the NE10.

The game was close in the first seven minutes, with six lead changes or tie scores, but a 7-0 run by the Purple Knights had the hosts up 17-11 after one.

By the midpoint of the second, Saint Michael's had expanded the lead to 10; they led by as much as 12 before AIC scored four straight, but the final two were notched by the home team, which led 31-21 at the break.

AIC kept the lead from expanding further early in the third thanks in part to a few buckets by Eden Monka and threes from Tia-Marie Martinez and Ruzgar Christina Boyle, but ultimately the Purple Knights added to their advantage with a 12-0 run broken by a last-second Martinez free throw, and after three the home team was ahead 54-37.

The Yellow Jackets were unable to pull off a fourth-quarter comeback, as the hosts outscored AIC 19-13 to win 73-50.

Monka shot a career-best 7-for-9 from the floor to lead AIC with 14 points.

The team did receive good news after the game, however; Adelphi University's loss against Southern Connecticut State University ensured AIC can finish no worse than seventh in the NE10, locking up the sixth consecutive NE10 Tournament berth for the team and the 41st in program history, second-most all-time behind only Bentley University's 42. 

AIC returns home Saturday, February 21 for Senior Day against Saint Anselm College at 1:30 p.m. The team will honor Masha Andrushchenko, Peyton Grant, Chelsea Reeves, Ahliya Phillips, and Martinez.