Anna 
The La Salle women’s basketball team put up a strong fight but ultimately fell 60-45 to #6 Dayton in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Thursday night.
Despite outscoring Dayton 16-11 in the second quarter and closing the gap to just four points at halftime, the Explorers couldn’t overcome the Flyers in the second half. La Salle ends its season after securing a victory in the first round, marking their first Atlantic 10 Tournament win since 2021 and becoming only the second-ever 11-seed to win in the first round of the tournament.
In her final collegiate game, graduate student Mackenzie Daleba led the team with 14 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Aryss Macktoon added 12 points, while fellow graduate student Jolene Armendariz grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
How the Game Unfolded
- The Explorers trailed 20-12 after the first quarter but outscored Dayton 16-11 in the second, cutting the deficit to just three points by halftime.
- Macktoon was the leading scorer in the second quarter, contributing six points.
- The pivotal moment in the first half came with six seconds left, when Armendariz hit a four-point play to make it a one-possession game at the break.
- Dayton took control in the third quarter, going on a 14-7 run to extend their lead to double digits.
- The Flyers held off La Salle in the fourth quarter with a 15-10 finish to seal the win and advance to the next round of the tournament.
- Daleba scored eight of her 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Explorers.
Inside the Numbers
- La Salle finished with a 39-35 advantage on the boards, including 17 offensive rebounds.
- Macktoon led the Explorers in steals with three.
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