Sarah Kiely and Ti'Asia McGeorge each scored 14 points to lead the American University women's basketball team, but it was not enough as host George Washington earned the 60-49 victory Monday afternoon at the Charles E. Smith Center.

American (8-6) jumped out to a quick 5-3 lead on a Kiely layup off an Alexis Dobbs feed but George Washington (7-7) fired back with a 9-0 run to open up a 12-5 advantage. A Tori Halvorsen layup broke the Eagles' scoreless drought although GW used another 7-0 spurt to open up a 23-10 lead at the 4:28 mark. Lisa Strack and Geleisa George closed the half with buckets for AU, but the Colonials took a 26-15 lead into intermission.

AU began the second half with the first four points on baskets by Strack and Kiely to get within seven. The Eagles' deficit remained between seven and 11 points until a McGeorge three and a Strack bucket trimmed GW's lead to 37-33. Moments later, another McGeorge trifecta cut the deficit to three, 39-36, with 10:56 to play.

The Eagles remained within striking distance for the next several minutes and got back to a 45-41 game after a Dobbs three at the 7:45 mark. But that is as close as American would get down the stretch as a 12-0 Colonials' run put the game out of reach.

Kiely's 14 points, which came on 7-of-13 shooting, matched her career-high, and she added five rebounds. McGeorge, meanwhile, scored her 14 points on 5-of-7 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from beyond-the-arc. Strack added eight points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Dobbs registered a career-best eight assists.

GW shot 42.6 percent from the field compared to 38.9 percent for the Eagles, and both sides shot over 46 percent from three-point range. The Colonials held a big advantage from the free throw line at a 73.7 percent clip (14-of-19) while AU was only 1-of-2 from the charity stripe.

This contest wraps up the non-conference portion of the schedule as the Eagles will compete in Patriot League play for the remainder of the season. AU's run at a third-straight regular season conference title begins this Saturday, January 7 at Colgate. Tip time from Hamilton, N.Y., is set for 4 p.m.