PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The University of New Haven women’s basketball team dropped a Northeast-10 Conference game at Pace University Sunday afternoon, 53-71. With the loss, the

Chargers fell to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the NE-10. The Setters improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in conference action.

The Setters scored the first two points and went on to take a 16-4 lead in the opening five minutes on Sunday. Over the next 10 minutes, UNH rallied and would eventually gain the lead. The Chargers went on a 21-2 run over the course of eight minutes to take a seven-point lead, 25-18, with 5:56 left in the first half. UNH would maintain the lead through the remainder of the first half and an Elizabeth Cruso (Westerly, R.I./Westerly) layup with one-second left gave the Chargers a 35-29 halftime lead.

Through the first three minutes of the second half the Chargers were held scoreless and the Setters went on an 11-0 run to open the half. Pace would take a five-point lead, 40-35, with 16:57 on the clock. In the next minute, New Haven cut the lead to one off an Ayana Duncanson (Elmont, N.Y./Francis Lewis) layup, but the Setters would hold on to the lead for the remainder of the game. Pace led by as many as 19 points, 70-51, in the final two minutes. Both teams scored in the final minute and Pace held on for an 18-point victory.

As a team, New Haven scored just 18 second-half points as it went cold shooting in the half. The Chargers shot 43-percent from the floor in the first half and just 21-percent in the second half. The Chargers also had 25 turnovers, compared to just 14 by the Setters.

Freshman Cruso led the Chargers with 12 points on 5-of-9 from the floor. Duncanson was the only other Charger with double-digit points with 10. She also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds in the game.

New Haven will return to action on Wednesday, November 30 when it hosts Assumption College at Charger Gymnasium. Game time for the women’s game is set for 7:30 p.m.