KINGS POINT, N.Y.  -  The Coast Guard Academy women's basketball team fell to their counterparts at the Merchant Marine Academy, 69-75, in this season's edition of the annual rivalry match-up. Despite a fourth quarter surge that saw Coast Guard take a late lead, the hosting Mariners were able to take it back for their first win over the Bears since the 2022-23 season.

The loss marks the end of a ten-game win streak for Coast Guard, who move to 11-2. On the other side, Kings Point wins their ninth straight to improve to 9-2. Merchant Marine gets to stay home for their next game this Friday, in which they'll host Skyline Conference rivals Mount Saint Mary (6-6, 6-1 Skyline).

Coast Guard took a 4-2 lead early in the first quarter, but Merchant Marine would soon gain the upper hand and put on a forceful showing for the rest of the half to lead 42-27 at the break. In the third, the Bears began to claw their way back, cutting the deficit down to 51-60 by the end of the quarter.

Coast Guard took a 65-64 lead in the fourth with just over four minutes to play, their first advantage in the game since the early minutes of the opening quarter. Both teams traded buckets until the final minute, but the Mariners made some space after freshman Carolae Barton (Waldorf, Md.) made a free throw to set the score at 71-69 with just 24 seconds left. Coast Guard was unable to cut into the lead while Merchant Marine was able to get to the line two more times before the final buzzer, making all four attempts.

Senior guard Kaira Winston (Chesterfield, Va.) led the Mariners offense with 22 points (9-22 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4-4 FT). Barton was just behind her with an 18-point (4-11 FG, 10-11 FT), 21-rebound double-double, with 12 of her rebounds coming on the offensive end.

Coast Guard was led by junior guard Dorothy Stotts (Edina, Minn.), who finished with 21 points (9-22 FG, 3-10 3PT) and six rebounds. Seniors Julia Mann (Central Square, N.Y.) and Kelly Hagerty (Emerald Isle, N.C.) both had 13 points, with Mann (4-13 FG, 1-3 3PT, 4-4 FT) grabbing ten rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season and Hagerty (6-7 FG, 1-1 3PT) recording a steal.

Finally, senior forward Glory Blethen (Boothbay, Maine) cemented her legacy in the Coast Guard women's basketball record book with her 136th career block. The swat gave her sole possession of the top spot in program history, propelling her past the previous record of 135 set by 2018 graduate Gillian Gerton. With 12 games left on the calender, and the possibility of postseason action, Blethen is more than likely to increase her record-setting mark by the season's end.

The Bears will look to get back in the win column on Sunday, January 12th. They'll be taking a long road trip up to Castine Maine to face the Maine Maritime Mariners (9-3). It will be the first match-up between the two teams since the 2008-09 season, a neutral site contest that ended in a 49-43 victory for the Mainers.