LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- The Fairmont State University women's basketball team kicked off the season in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania against Seton Hill. Despite a strong first quarter, the Falcons fell to the Griffins, 77-73.

Jalen Gibbs led the all scorers with 21 points, going 9-12 from the free throw line. Alyssa DeAngelo added 16 points while Leslie Huffman finished with 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. The Falcons won the rebounding battle, 43-36 and made 24 of their 29 free throw attempts.

Fairmont State started strong and led 11-3 with six points off the hand of Gibbs. Seton Hill tried to narrow the margin but the Falcons kept the difference. In the final 30 seconds of the first, Madeline Huffman scored four-straight points to hold a 20-11 edge going to the second period.

Leslie Huffman started the second with a three off a pass from Gabby Reep to extend the lead to 14. The Griffins did not bat an eye as they rattled off eight-straight points to make it a 23-17 game. Fairmont State was able to hold off Seton Hill to keep the couple score lead until the final 1:38. In the closing minutes of the half, Seton Hill made four free throws to only be down by three (31-28) at the break.

Following an exchange of baskets to open the third, the Falcons scored six in-a-row with a three by Madeline Huffman to give them a 39-30 lead with 7:01 left. The two teams traded small runs over the next five minutes of game play before the Griffins hit a three and a layup to only trail by one (46-45). Leslie Huffman nailed a three to increase the lead but Seton Hill scored the final four points to even the game at 49 going to the final 10 minutes of regulation.

The Falcons were able to grasp the first lead of the fourth but the Griffins always seemed to have an answer and kept evening the score. Behind by a single basket (59-57), Fairmont State used a 7-0 run to hold a 64-59 lead with 5:39 left in regulation. Seton Hill slowly chipped away at the deficit and eventually took the lead, 70-67. DeAngelo laid one in off a Gibbs pass to narrow to gap to one but the Griffins notched the next five points to lead 75-69 with 36 seconds remaining on the clock.

Down the stretch, Madeline Huffman converted a layup but the Falcons were unable to get a stop to tie the game. Seton Hill made just enough free throws over the closing seconds to take the game by the four-point margin.

Fairmont State (0-1) faces the hosts, Lock Haven University on Saturday, November 8. Start time is slated for 8:00 p.m.