CHESTER, Pa. (Jan. 21, 2017) - The Widener University women's basketball team fell to Albright by a 69-45 score on Saturday afternoon at the Schwartz Center.

Widener got off to a fast start and led for most of the first quarter, as freshman Madison Ireland (Garnet Valley, Pa.) drove in for a layup just three seconds into the contest and junior Nikki Petri (Congers, N.Y.) canned a 3-pointer on the team's second possession. The Pride built up a 16-8 advantage when junior Allison Gallagher (Souderton, Pa.) converted two free throws at the 5:24 mark, but the Lions crept back and got back-to-back layups from MiKayla Lea to take their first lead at 20-19 with 1:20 left.
 
Trailing by just three at the end of the first quarter, Widener was able to regain the lead in the opening minutes of the second when Gallagher drilled a jump shot to give her team a 23-22 edge over the competition. Albright, however went on a tear and embarked on a 14-2 run to pull away.
 
Albright (14-4, MAC Commonwealth 9-0), which led 36-28 at the break, broke the game open in the third quarter by shooting 58.8 percent from the field and only allowing the Pride to convert two of their 16 attempts from the floor. Morgan Harris set up Devan Horka for a layup shortly before time expired in the frame, and the margin would grow to as many as 28 before it was all over.
 
The Lions were led by Nina Mazzarelli and Alysha Lofton in the victory. Mazzarelli scored 18 points, while Lofton notched a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four assists.
 
Gallagher paced Widener in the loss by contributing a double-double of her own with 10 points and 12 boards. Freshman Devan Rimmer (Parkasie, Pa.) netted nine points, and Petri finished with six points, six rebounds and three steals.
 
Widener (6-12, MAC Commonwealth 3-6) next travels to Lycoming and will look to sweep the season series between the schools when the teams meet on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m.