Scranton, PA - During a thrilling, fast-paced first day of tournament play, an inspiring comeback by the Southern Virginia University women's basketball team came up short, and they found themselves on the wrong side of the score against Bates College. The Knights fell by a score of 55-53, providing an end to a record breaking season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

It was a sluggish start for the USA South Champions, as they made just two field goals in the opening quarter. The Knights trailed by as much as 12 points in the first half, held back by a difficult stretch of shooting. Bates, meanwhile, felt right at home and looked very much like a team that made an appearance in the sweet sixteen last March. However, despite a 28-20 deficit at halftime, Southern Virginia wasn't done yet.

Abigail Snyder led a surging Knights offense back to even with under two minutes remaining in the third. Along with Alyssa Weiland, the two were scoring at will and combined for 25 points in the second half, putting the Knights on the cusp of their first tournament win since 2022. Their team defense also shined at key moments, leading to a 7-6 advantage in steals.

They eventually claimed their first lead of the day at 46-45, but Bates remained composed enough to dash the Knights hope of completing a massive comeback. Thanks to an off-balanced layup with under ten seconds left in regulation, Bates would move on to the second round, putting an end to one of the most decorated seasons in Southern Virginia women's basketball history.

Alyssa Weiland put together a strong performance in the final game of her collegiate career, contributing 15 points. Snyder scored 14 of her 18 in the second half, and posed as a huge all-around threat the entire game. She totaled 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.