Rye’s girls basketball team suffered its first loss of the season Saturday, but the good news is, they won’t have to face the team that beat them in the playoffs.
Albertus Magnus defeated Rye 61-34, bringing a sudden end to the 12-game win streak the Garnets enjoyed to start the season. Over the course of those first dozen games, Rye appeared to be in a different class than most of its competitors, winning by an average of 14.7 points, with five victories by 20-plus points.
But Albertus Magnus (10-2), the reigning 2024 and 2025 Class AAA New York state champions, scored the most points the Garnets have allowed all season, while also limiting the team to its lowest offensive output.
“This game exposed where and what our flaws are,” said Rye junior Frankie Chiaravalle, “and now we know what to improve to make us better.”
Freshman Charlotte Storz led Rye with 14 points, and sophomore Stella Maresca added 11. An undefeated season is off the table for Rye, but all of the team’s postseason goals remain intact. The 12-1 record matches the hot start of last season’s Garnets, who went on to finish 21-4 and win the section tournament title.
With seven regular-season games remaining, Rye is currently in position for the No. 2 seed in the Section 1 Class AA bracket, trailing only Nyack (10-0).
“I’m really happy with the way we’ve started the season at 12–1,” said coach Margo Hackett. “The loss to Albertus Magnus will be a learning experience for us. They’re a very talented team who will likely be winning a third-consecutive Class AAA state title. We have a tremendous group of girls who are eager to keep improving, and I’m excited to take what we learned and keep it rolling.”
After a game against Horace Greeley (3-9) on Wednesday, Rye has another test against Class AAA competition, at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Mamaroneck (5-4).
