THROGGS NECK, N.Y. - The Purchase College women's basketball team suffered a road defeat Tuesday night, as the Panthers fell to the Maccabees of Yeshiva University 57-51 in a Skyline Conference showdown.

A slow start to the contest put Purchase (0-4 overall, 0-3 Skyline) behind the eight ball early. After the two sides traded baskets to an eventual 8-8 score to open the first quarter, the Maccabees (2-4, 1-4) ripped off 10-straight points to closeout the frame.

The hosts extended that margin to 14 points early in the second, before the Panthers began to battle back. By the time the halftime horn sounded, Purchase trailed by just seven points at 26-19.

However, Yeshiva come out hot to start the second half, as the hosts pushed their margin back up to 13 points (37-24) with 3:39 left in the quarter.

But the Panthers continued to fight. Over the remaining three-plus minutes, the Panthers enjoyed a 7-0 run to get the deficit back into single digits at 37-31.

As a result, the two squads entered the final frame with the game up for grabs. While Yeshiva initially extended its advantage back into double-digits, 43-32 with 7:42 remaining, the Panthers answered with a run of their own.

Over the next two minutes, the guests cut the margin to just three points, 43-40, with an 8-0 run. A few minutes later, the Panthers trimmed the margin even more, as they got within a point of Yeshiva, 48-47, with 3:38 to go.

Unfortunately, that was as close as Purchase got the rest of the contest. Over the final three minutes, the Maccabees' defense came alive and forced the guests into missed shots and a handful of turnovers, all the while doing just enough offensively to hang on for the win.

Shooting between the two sides was limited all night, as Yeshiva went 36.7 percent from the field and the Panthers recorded a 28.8 percent mark.

While the turnover battle favored Purchase, 21-19, points off turnovers was decidedly in favor of the hosts, as they outscored PC, 22-9, in the category.

Individually, Ariella Johnson (SO/Brooklyn, NY) and Shamoni Berrios (SO/Bronx, NY) led the effort for Purchase on the night. Johnson finished with a career-high 19 points and seven rebounds, while Berrios added 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals in the loss. 

Up next for the Panthers is a week off for the Thanksgiving break, as the team returns to action on November 30th. That contest will be at York College and tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.