WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Despite rallying to even the score with two minutes left in the game, the Monmouth women's basketball team was unable to grab the win and ultimately fell to Iona, 69-65, on Saturday at OceanFirst Bank Center.
 
Monmouth (13-14, 8-10 MAAC) trailed by nine with 3:59 on the clock in the fourth quarter before a Stella Clark 3-pointer sparked a 9-0 run that tied the game at 63-63. Iona (10-13, 8-10 MAAC) halted the run with a 3-pointer of its own on the ensuing possession before going on to capture the road victory.
 
Three Hawks scored in double figures led by a team-best 16 from Belle Kranbuhl. The Boonville, N.Y., native tied her season-high scoring mark by shooting 7-of-8 from the field with four rebounds. Clark logged 15 in the scoring column, while Ariana Vanderhoop tied her career-best scoring mark with 12 points to go along with a team-best six boards and three assists.
 
Kaci Donovan knocked down a pair of treys and finished the afternoon with eight points off the bench, while Brianna Livingston chipped in with six.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"I take full responsibility for not getting us over the hump in a close game today. Thank you to the alums who came back to celebrate this NEST. We stand on their shoulders and I promised each of them we will build this championship culture the right way."
-Head Coach Ginny Boggess

-Kranbuhl scored in double figures for the seventh outing this season.
-She posted her 20th game with at least one block.
-Clark notched her 16th double-digit scoring game.
-Vanderhoop had her 10th game of the season with double figures in the scoring column.
-Monmouth scored over 60 points for the 15th time this season.
-It's the most games with over 60 points in a season for the program since the 2016-17 squad did it in 22 outings.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth and Iona finished tied with 30 rebounds apiece.
-Monmouth assisted on 52 percent of its made shots.
-The Hawks scored 55 percent of their points from inside the paint.
-Monmouth shot over 40 percent from the field as a team in every quarter.
-Saturday's result marked the sixth time in the last seven meetings between the two squads that was decided by single digits.
-Monmouth and Iona met for the 26th time.  

UP NEXT
Monmouth returns to action on Wednesday to host Marist for a 7 p.m. MAAC game at OceanFirst Bank Center.