Hernando Reporter

Saint Leo University Athletics issued the following announcement on Nov. 17.

The Saint Leo women's basketball team returned to a full Marion Bowman Activities Center to host the Flagler Saints on Wednesday. The Saints squeaked out a comeback win in the last 60-seconds of the game. The barn burner handed the Lions a 68-64 loss to the non-conference foes from St. Augustine, Fla.

Ayanna Trigg registered a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. The graduate student forward standing at six feet went 6-for-8 from the floor including a perfect night on the stripe (4-4) and snagged six offensive rebounds and eight defensives.

Amanda Ulrich led the Lions in scoring with 19 points going 7-for-25 on the field and tossing in three three-pointers and two at the charity stripe. She also added eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Saint Leo (1-2) and Flagler (2-2) went head-to-head in the first quarter, with the Saints squeezing out a one-point lead at 17-16. The Green and Gold overcame early foul trouble with clutch buckets and boards off the bench from Tamara Shash and Britney Carver. Shash added a pair of layups and four rebounds while Carver sunk a three-pointer. Carver's good bucket from downtown was followed by a defensive rebound by Triniti Youngblood and finished with Jenni Whitlow's second three-pointer of the half. The six-point run built an eight-point advantage over the Saints, for a halftime lead of 33-25.

The Lions stayed hot in third, recording their largest lead of the game at 14 as Ulrich sunk a three-pointer to end the quarter, 56-42. Despite the energy coming from all Green and Gold fans and student-athletes alike, Flagler was able to generate an 11-point run in the fourth quarter to slash the gap down to three, 60-57 with 3:45 left on the clock. Kiki McIntyre was able to get the Lions back on the board, but the Saints continued their charge with nine more consecutive points for the lead change, 67-62. Ayanna Trigg's layup brought the game back to within a bucket, but Flagler would seal the comeback with a free throw in the last 22 seconds, 68-64.

"That was one we let get away," said head coach Anthony Crocitto. "I thought the bench was fantastic picking up the slack in the first and then the starters came to play in third. They made more adjustments than us and we will get better for it."

The Lions return to the road in Melbourne, Fla. on Saturday, November 20 for the first Sunshine State Conference matchup of the 2021-22 season. Saint Leo and Florida Tech are set to tip-off at 2:00 p.m. in the Charles and Ruth Clemente Center. 

For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo women's basketball program, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Original source can be found here.