Strong Finish Leads Greyhounds To Win

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Moravian College women's basketball team extended its winning streak to five straight games with a 65-50 non-conference win over Wilkes University at Johnston Hall Wednesday evening.

The Greyhounds, who were playing for the first time in 24 days, showed signs of the layoff during the contest before finishing the game on a 16-1 run. Moravian jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead just 1:07 into the game including four points by sophomore guard Kate Harrison (Cold Spring Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor HS). The Greyhounds led 8-2 before the Colonels pulled within a point, 10-9, at the 12:02 mark of the first half.

Each team struggled on offense before Moravian built a seven-point lead at 19-12 won a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Jessica Foran (Annandale, NJ/Rutgers Prep HS). The Colonels would score the final five points of the first half to pull within a point again at the intermission, 23-22.

The Greyhounds were just nine of 34 (26.5 percent) from the floor, five of eight at the foul line and missed all three of their three-point attempts in the first half while Wilkes was nine for 28 from the field, three of eight on three-pointers and one of two at the foul line in the first 20 minutes. The Colonels had a 26-21 advantage in rebounds during the first half; however, Wilkes had 15 turnovers to just seven for Moravian.

Colonel freshman guard Allison Horn (New Tripoli, PA/Northwestern Lehigh HS) connected on a three-pointer just 40 seconds into the second half to give Wilkes its first lead of the game at 25-23. Moravian retook the lead at 28-27 on a lay-up by freshman guard/forward Emily Smith (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg South HS) at the 15:51 mark but the Colonels regained the lead just 18 seconds later on a three-pointer by freshman guard Sam Lynam (Spinnerstown, PA/Quakertown HS). The Greyhounds responded with a 7-0 run to take a 35-30 lead at the 13:58 mark capped off by a Smith three-pointer, and Moravian pushed the lead to seven points twice, the final time at 44-37 on a Foran jumper with 10:17 to play.

The Colonels answered with a 10-2 run to take a 47-46 lead with 8:42 on a three-pointer by senior forward Lacey Andresen (Deposit, NY/Deposit Central HS). Moravian pulled ahead 49-47 on a jumper by sophomore forward Kirsty Stearns (East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay HS) before Andresen knotted the game at 49-49 with another three-pointer with 7:36 remaining on the clock. Both offenses went cold at that point with Wilkes only scoring one more point on a free throw by Andresen with 1:35 to play. The Greyhounds started a 12-0 run with a pair of free throws by Harrison with 5:29 to play and would lead 61-49 on a free throw by Stearns at the 2:16 mark.

Moravian shot the ball better in the second half, connecting on 15 of 30 field goal attempts, two of three three-pointers and ten of 16 free throws in the final 20 minutes. Wilkes was nine for 23 from the field, five of eight on three-pointers and five of seven at the foul line in the second half. Moravian finished the game with a 42-39 advantage in rebounds, and the Greyhounds forced the Colonels into 27 turnovers for the game while committing just 14 turnovers.

Moravian had four players score in double figures led by sophomore forward Alyssa Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS), who netted a game high 17 points. Bisci tied her career high with 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season, and she had three assists. Harrison tossed in 13 points to go with four rebounds, two assists and two steals while Foran and Stearns each scored ten points. Foran had four rebounds, five steals and three assists while Stearns grabbed seven rebounds for Moravian.

Smith contributed nine points and five rebounds in the victory while sophomore guard Amanda Brown (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven HS) had five points and three assists for the Greyhounds. Senior guard LaToya Blake (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) had three assists, two rebounds and two steals for Moravian.

Andresen was the only Colonel to reach double figures, scoring a team high 16 points to go with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Horn and sophomore guard Ashley Makarczyk (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke HS) each netted nine points and grabbed three rebounds for Wilkes while Lynam added eight points. Freshman center Mackensey O'Hara (Otego, NY/Unatego HS) grabbed a team high ten rebounds for the Colonels and added five blocked shots and four points.