DANBURY, Conn. - Rookie forward Nia Rencher (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) notched a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds but the Western Connecticut State University women's basketball squad fell in a fast paced non-league contest to Nichols College, 97-85, on Thursday evening at Feldman Arena. Three other players hit for double figures in scoring while first-year forward Fatmata Barrie (Staten Island, N.Y.) snagged a game-high 15 boards.

Graduate student guard Abrianna Vazquez (Dedham, Mass.) led the visitors with a game-high 26 points to go along with five steals. Classmate guard Summer Klein (Stamford, Conn.) chipped in with a game-high eight thefts. 

The Bison raced out to an early 29-14 lead to conclude the opening quarter. However, the Wolves pounced back with a solid run of their own, 27-18, in the second quarter. They knotted the count at 39-39 when senior forward Alyssa Virtue (Groton, Conn.) sank the back end of a pair of free throw attempts. Nichols answered with a spurt before the buzzer to hold a 47-41 halftime lead. 

The visitors rebuilt a 17-point advantage early in the third before WestConn roared back once again when they cut it to 79-73 midway through the fourth when Barrie converted a hoop after her own miss. But the Wolves wouldn't get any closer as the Bison retaliated with a 16-2 flurry down the stretch to wrap up the game.

With the loss, WestConn dropped to 1-3 overall while Nichols improved to 3-0. The Wolves will look to bounce back when they head to John Jay College for yet another non-conference matchup on Saturday at 1 p.m.