WASHINGTON – Freshman Cecily Carl finished with a career-high 16 points to lead all scorers, but the American University women's basketball team dropped a 60-51 decision to Lafayette Wednesday evening at Bender Arena.

Junior Lauren Crisler and sophomore Maria Liddane joined Carl in double figures with 11 points each. Crisler added a team-best eight rebounds, while Liddane dished out four assists to lead the Eagles.

For Lafayette, Jamie O'Hare recorded 15 points and eight assists to lead the way, while Sammy Stipa added 12 points. Ashley Lutz just missed a double-double, finishing with nine points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

American (4-14, 2-5) led throughout the first quarter, taking a 12-6 advantage at the end of the opening period. The Eagles pulled ahead to a 20-9 lead after a basket by Crisler with 7:40 remaining in the second period. However, the Leopards, who were 5-of-6 from beyond the arc in the period, responded with 13 straight points, closing out the half on a 19-2 run.

Lafayette (4-13, 2-5) continued its hot shooting from long range early in the third period, extending its lead to 37-28 with 6:50 on the clock. American cut the margin to 44-40 late in the period with three-pointers by Carl and classmate Elina Koskimies, but the Leopards went into the final stanza with a 46-40 advantage.

The Leopards pushed their lead to double digits early in the fourth quarter, but the Eagles slowly began to battle back. A pair of free throws by Carl with less than three minutes remaining brought American within four points, but the Eagles were unable to hit their shots down the stretch.

American gave up a 47-31 advantage on the boards, with 16 of the Leopards' rebounds coming on the offensive glass.

"I thought [our defense was] more aggressive in the first quarter, and then we stopped playing aggressive and we didn't get the turnovers for run-outs and easy baskets," said American head coach Megan Gebbia.

"It's just frustrating because this team knows how to play a scout, and they didn't do it. They paid for it today."

The Eagles hit the road this Saturday, Jan. 23, for a 1 p.m. contest at Holy Cross.