The Suffolk University Women's Basketball team (7-6, 3-1 GNAC) hung on for a 58-57 victory over the St. Joseph College Blue Jays (9-5, 1-3 GNAC) on Monday afternoon.

Junior Meghan Black (Roslindale, Mass.) had a key defensive block in the closing seconds to preserve the Rams' third win in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on the season, while freshman Jennifer Ruys (Wallingford, Conn.) scored 16 points as the Rams improve to a 7-6 overall record on the season.

Suffolk held the lead for the majority of the contest, but the Blue Jays would not go quietly. A three-pointer by freshman Diamond Doe (Lynn, Mass.) would cut the Rams lead to 58-57 with thirty one seconds remaining, but neither team could add another basket in the remaining seconds in regulation.

A pair of missed Suffolk free throws would give the Blue Jays the ball back with a chance to grab the lead with twenty seven seconds remaining. After a Suffolk turnover with three seconds left, Black would stop the Blue Jays' Ilarian Schiano (Wallingford, Conn.) to prevent the home team from grabbing their first lead in the second half and a chance to steal the victory. Sophomore Jacqueline Vienneau (Salem, N.H.) would grab the defensive rebound, one of her nine rebounds in the contest. After the ball switched hands back and forth on each side, freshman Andrea Suffredini (Milford, Mass.) would force a steal and hang on to the ball in the final second to preserve the Suffolk victory.

Suffolk finished the game with three players in double digits in scoring, with Ruys leading the way with 16 as she shot 8-for-11 from the field along with nine rebounds. Black finished the game with 13 points and four blocks, while Vienneau had 10 points and six assists.

The Rams dictated the score throughout much of the contest as they held the lead for the entire second half after coming out of the intermission with a 31-24 lead.

Doe would even the score at 51 points with less than four minutes remaining as she connected on a layup, but Ruys would answer with consecutive layups giving the Rams a four point edge. Black connected on one of two free throws to give the Rams a five-point edge, before Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) would connect on a three-point shot to make the contest a one possession game at 56-54 with forty-five seconds remaining.

Vienneau went to the line for Suffolk connecting on both of her free throws to put the Rams back up by four, before Doe's trey made things interesting over the final seconds.

Doe finished the game leading all scorers with 18 points, while Diliberto had 15 points for the Blue Jays.

Suffolk held the edge on the glass outrebounding the Blue Jays, 52-47.

St. Joseph will be back in action on Saturday as they travel to Mount Ida College to take on the Mustangs at 1:00pm. Suffolk will be back in action on Thursday evening as they host the Simmons College Sharks at 7:00pm in GNAC action at the Regan Gymnasium.