The American University women's basketball team battled back from a seven-point deficit to tie it up six times down the stretch, but were unable to complete the comeback as it suffered its first loss of the season, 68-66, at Quinnipiac.

Alexis Dobbs led the Eagles with 18 points as Jen Dumiak and Geleisa George added 11 apiece. Sarah Kiely posted eight boards and Michelle Holmes added seven. Dobbs dished out seven assists and Shaquilla Curtis finished with five steals. 

Quinnipiac (2-3) jumped out to a 6-2 advantage at the start but Dobbs completed a three-point play and drained a triple to give the Eagles the 10-8 lead. A triple by Samantha Guastella put the Bobcats back on top but Curtis knocked it away and dished it to Holmes, who laid it in for the 14-13 American lead at the 11:05 mark. Quinnipiac pulled away once again, with a bucket by Martin giving it a 19-17 lead. Curtis hit a deep jumper and Dobbs came up with the steal on the other end, dishing it to a streaking Dumiakfor the 21-19 lead with 7:45 to play.

Kiely drained a three from the top of the key to put the Eagles up 27-25 but the Bobcats answered with a 8-2 run for the 33-29 advantage with 1:20 left in the first half. Dobbs pulled up for a short jumper but Morgan Manz answered on the other end to send Quinnipiac into the break up 35-31. 

American (3-1) shot 35.5 from the field and went 2-for-9 from beyond the arc in the first half. The Bobcats shot 40.5 percent and were 3-for-9 from three-point range.

A Dobbs triple sparked a 6-0 run for the Eagles to knot up the game at 42-all at the 14:03 mark in the second half. Guastella hit a three but Dobbs answered with one on the other end. American took a 49-47 lead on consecutive buckets by Dumiak and Dobbs but Quinnipiac answered with five straight points to retake the advantage with 10:30 to play. 

American took its largest lead on a 6-0 run with George converting back-to-back drives for the 57-54 lead with 4:42 left. The Bobcats answered as Maria Napolitano hit a trey to give Quinnipiac back the advantage. The Eagles had a response with a George steal and lay-up putting American back up 61-59. The teams traded triples, with Arron Zimmerman draining one from the corner with 1:10 to go.

The Bobcats called a timeout and a bucket by Martin gave it back a 66-64 advantage. George had the answer again, laying it in with 34 seconds left in the contest. But Gillian Abshire was able to convert a pair of free throws in the final 3.6 seconds and American's last second chance was intercepted to give Quinnipiac the 68-66 win.

American shot 43.3 percent from the floor and was 5-for-18 from three-point range. The Bobcats finished the day shooting 38.0 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc. 

Brittany McQuain led Quinnipiac with the double-double, hitting 16 points while adding 12 rebounds. Guastella and Martin notched 14 points apiece. Abshire finished with 14 assists and the Bobcats held a 45-39 advantage in rebounds.

The Eagles will look to bounce back when it heads to Fordham on Monday, November 25 at 7 p.m.