Manchester, N.H. (February 13) -- Led by 26 points from Dana Brown (Elmont, N.Y.), the College of Saint Rose defeated Saint Anselm by a 59-53 final on Wednesday night in Northeast-10 women's basketball action.

In a first half that included six ties and eight lead changes, it was the Hawks that took a 31-27 lead into the halftime break. Saint Rose built the lead to as many as seven at 21-14 on a jumper from Elizabeth Buckley (East Lyme, Conn.) before the Hawks embarked on a 9-4 scoring burst to close within two after a pair of free throws from Erin Higgins (Mansfield, Mass.). The Hawks tied the game on another pair of free throws by Cassandra Loftus (Nashua, N.H.) and took the lead on a freebie from Carleen Orawsky (Worcester, Mass.). After the Golden Knights briefly regained the lead at 27-26 with under a minute left, the hosts ended the half with five unanswered points for the halftime edge. Cassaundra Thorpe (Portsmouth, N.H.) and Kirsten Doldoorian (Oxford, Mass.) led the Hawks with eight points each in the first half, while Brown paced Saint Rose with 13.

The Hawks started the second half solidly and had a 49-41 lead with just 6:20 remaining in the game. Saint Rose went on an 11-2 scoring spurt over the next 3:38 and took the lead at 52-51 on a three-pointer from Brown. The Golden Knights held the Hawks to just two points the rest of the way for the six-point victory.

Thorpe led the Hawks with 21 points and eight rebounds, followed by Higgins with a 10-point effort. Brown posted a career-high 26 points for the Golden Knights, along with a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double from Emily Gottstein (Albany, N.Y.).

With the loss, the Hawks fall to 6-18 overall and 3-16 in the Northeast-10, while the Golden Knights now sit at 11-12 overall and are 8-11 in league play. Saint Anselm is back in action as the Hawks travel to Le Moyne for a 1 p.m. start in Syracuse on Saturday, February 16th.