OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Mar. 4, 2015) - Despite senior guard Chelsea Williams (Copiague, N.Y.) tying a career-high with 32 points, the fifth-seeded LIU Post women's basketball team fell to fourth-seeded NYIT, 76-71, in the opening round of the 2014-15 East Coast Conference Championship at Recreation Hall on Wednesday.
 
The Pioneers (17-12) showed heart in their final game of the 2014-15 campaign, as the green and gold battled back from a seven-point deficit with less than three minutes on the clock, but their comeback attempt fell short.
 
In the first half, it was a tightly contested match-up with no team leading by more than four points at any time. Though NYIT (19-10) shot 51.7 percent from the floor in the first 20 minutes, LIU Post used solid free throw shooting to stay in it. The green and gold were 13-for-16 from the stripe in the opening half and the teams went into the break tied at 38-all.
 
Williams had 14 points in the first half. Junior center Nyasia Davis (Rahway, N.J.) contributed nine points and nine boards as she was the only Pioneer to play all 20 first-half minutes.
 
Fast forward to late in the second half.
 
Down 69-62 with over two minutes left in regulation, the Pioneers mounted the comeback attempt. Williams converted a three-point play at the 2:15 mark to close the gap to 69-65. She followed that up with another three-point play in the final minute to make it a one-possession game (72-70).
 
Dina Ragab then missed a jumper with 23 seconds to go, before Williams was fouled coming down with the defensive rebound. The senior would go 1-for-2 from the line, making it 72-71.

NYIT's Shanice Allen subsequently hit both of her free-throw attempts, giving LIU Post a chance to tie it with a three with time winding down.
 
Williams got a shot off with three seconds left, but it would not go. NYIT hit two more free throws after the miss, sealing the 76-71 win.
 
Castle finished with 14 points. Davis totaled 14 rebounds and 11 points, her 17th double-double of the season.
 
For more information about the LIU Post women's basketball team, please continue to visit LIUPostPioneers.com.