NEW YORK (Interstat) — In a game defined more by grit than grace, the Lafayette Leopards held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Wagner Seahawks to escape the Spiro Sports Center with a 56-53 victory in non-conference women’s basketball action on Thursday.

The contest was a stark contrast in styles and efficiency. Lafayette built its lead through superior perimeter shooting and by capitalizing on Wagner’s mistakes, while the Seahawks relied on a relentless offensive rebounding effort to stay within striking distance despite an otherwise frigid shooting performance.

Lafayette established control from the opening tip, closing the first quarter with a 10-8 lead. The Leopards extended their advantage to 25-18 by halftime, largely on the strength of their three-point shooting. Wagner, conversely, struggled immensely from beyond the arc, a theme that would plague them throughout the evening.

The third quarter saw the Seahawks begin to chip away at the deficit, outscoring Lafayette 15-13 to trim the Leopards’ lead to 38-33 heading into the final frame. The comeback attempt intensified in the fourth quarter as Wagner’s pressure defense forced Lafayette into a series of costly turnovers. The Seahawks poured in 20 points in the period, their highest-scoring quarter of the game, and whittled the Lafayette lead down to a single possession in the final minutes.

However, the Seahawks’ inability to connect from deep and missed opportunities at the free-throw line ultimately sealed their fate. Wagner finished the game a staggering 1 for 11 from three-point range and 14 for 24 from the charity stripe. Lafayette, while not flawless, was a more efficient 8 for 20 from three and 12 for 18 from the free-throw line.

The statistical sheet painted a picture of a sloppy, hard-fought battle. Both teams were plagued by turnovers, with Lafayette committing 27 and Wagner giving the ball away 23 times. The Seahawks dominated the glass, particularly on the offensive end, where they hauled in 18 rebounds leading to numerous second-chance opportunities. Lafayette managed only six offensive boards.

But the Leopards’ shooting efficiency proved the decisive factor. Lafayette posted an offensive rating of 73.2 points per 100 possessions, outperforming Wagner’s mark of 68.5. Both teams had 77 possessions in the game.

Key individual performances underscored the team efforts. For Lafayette, Haylie Adamski, a 6-foot sophomore from Media, Pennsylvania, provided a critical spark off the bench, scoring 13 points and adding three assists in 25 minutes. Teresa Kiewiet, a 5-foot-10 guard from North Mankato, Minnesota, led the Leopards with 15 points in 27 minutes. Talia Zurinskas, an Allentown, Pennsylvania native, contributed 14 points.

Wagner was led by the formidable presence of Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor. The 6-foot-3 freshman from Kotor Varos, Nigeria, dominated inside, scoring a game-high 17 points and pulling down multiple key rebounds in just 23 minutes of action. Keana Foz, a 5-foot-8 guard from Mississauga, Canada, logged a team-high 36 minutes, finishing with 10 points, three assists, and three steals.

The victory improves Lafayette’s record to 3-3 on the young season, while Wagner falls to 1-4.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Lafayette entered the game with a 68.60 percent probability to win. The game was attended by 150 spectators at the Spiro Sports Center.