BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Holy Cross women's basketball team fell to Lehigh, 75-57, in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Tournament on Sunday, March 7.

Freshman guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy led the Crusaders (7-8) with a career-high 26 points, including 20 second-half points, and a career-best four blocks. Junior guard Avery LaBarbera had the third double-double of her career with 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Junior forward Oluchi Ezemma finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Emma Grothaus led the way for Lehigh (8-5) with 19 points and seven boards. Jamie Behar (16 points) and Frannie Hottinger (14 points) also recorded double-figure points.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Ezemma hit back-to-back layups to give Holy Cross a 12-11 lead with 2:30 to go in the first before Lehigh ended the quarter on a 7-0 run.
• With Lehigh leading 21-14 in the second, freshman guard Cara McCormack had a pair of free throws and LaBarbera hit a three to bring Holy Cross within two points. The Mountain Hawks closed out the half on a 17-4 run to hold a 15-point lead, 38-23, after 20 minutes.
• Power-Cassidy started the third quarter strong, scoring the Crusaders' first seven points. Still, Lehigh built its lead to 21 points after Mackenzie Kramer hit a three with 4:41 left.
• The Crusaders began to chip away at the deficit – sophomore guard Kerry Flaherty converted on an and-one and LaBarbera had a basket before Power-Cassidy hit back-to-back baskets to force a Lehigh timeout with 2:04 to go. LaBarbera hit a 3-pointer out of the timeout to bring Holy Cross within 51-42 with 1:40 left and cap off a 12-0 run.
• Hottinger ended the Mountain Hawks' scoring drought after making one of two free throws, but Power-Cassidy again hit a jumper with five seconds remaining in the third to bring Holy Cross within eight.
• Lehigh extended its lead back to 13 early in the fourth quarter. McCormack got a second-chance basket after missing a 3-pointer to make it an 11-point game, but a 16-4 run put the Mountain Hawks up by 23 with 3:48 to go.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Power-Cassidy's 26-point showing matches the highest total by a Crusader this season, as LaBarbera also recorded 26 points against Boston University on Feb. 21. Power-Cassidy bested her previous career high of 17 points, hitting that mark against Army on Jan. 9.
• The four blocks by Power-Cassidy are the most by a Crusader in a single game since Lauren Manis blocked four shots against Bucknell on March 5, 2018.
• LaBarbera became the second Crusader to record a double-double this season, with Ezemma having recorded two double-doubles in 2021.