BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh three-point attack was too much for the Holy Cross women's basketball team to overcome in the early stages of the game as the hosts handed the Crusaders a 67-61 Patriot League setback ending their five game winning streak Friday evening at Stabler Arena.
Trailing by double-figures with under five minutes to go, Holy Cross (13-7, 7-2 PL) went on a 9-2 scoring stretch to come within three, but one of their possessions ended with a missed shot and Lehigh (14-6, 6-3 PL) iced the game with freebies. Four players reached double-figures for the Crusaders including sophomore
Bronagh Power-Cassidy who dropped a team-high 15 points with a contest-best three steals. Junior
Addisyn Cross came alive in the fourth quarter scoring nine of her 11 points to go with four assists and two steals. Senior
Avery LaBarbera's streak of 10 consecutive double-doubles ended as she only scored five points, but she snared a game-best 11 rebounds.
Mackenzie Kramer did most of the damage from distance for Lehigh going 5-for-9 (55.6%) with a game-high 18 points. Lehigh made 15 threes, one away from tying their program and Patriot League single game record.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lehigh buried four triples early to hold a 12-4 lead off the shot of Megan Walker and three via Kramer. Sophomore Janelle Allen responded with a second-chance bucket to cut the deficit to two possessions, 12-6 at the media timeout. Out of the media stoppage, Walker and Jamie Behar continued the Lehigh three-point barrage with two more to open up an 18-8 edge. Power-Cassidy made a flashy cut to the hoop at the end of the quarter to trim the margin to 21-12.
- The final points of the first quarter were a springboard for the Crusaders as it was the beginning of a 10-1 run to tie the game at 22-22. Power-Cassidy drilled a wing three, senior Kelly Petro drove to the rack for two and LaBarbera hit a step back wing trifecta. Holy Cross took their biggest lead of the first half, 30-27 when senior Oluchi Ezemma muscled a shot off the window and in. Lehigh put in seven in a row part of a 14-4 half closing run to lead 41-34 at the break.
- The Crusaders' defense led by Cross and sophomore Janelle Allen came away with a steal and block midway through the third. Power-Cassidy knocked down a mid-range jumper to drop the deficit to 46-40. A Kaylee Van Eps three-pointer put the Mountain Hawks in front by 10, 54-44.
- Over the first five minutes of the fourth, Holy Cross out produced Lehigh 8-3 to come within seven, 59-52 thanks to an Ezemma second chance layup. Out of the media stoppage, Kramer connected on a running three from the top of the point to reestablish the 10 point margin. LaBarbera floated home a deuce, Cross drove for a layup and Ezemma powered a layup to pull the team within four, 62-58. The guests began to foul and came within three when Cross knocked down a triple on an inbounds play, however the next Crusader shot fell short as the winning streak ended.
OUTSIDE THE BOX:
- Lehigh started the game 6-for-9 (66.7%) from beyond the arc.
- All seven of Lehigh's first quarter field goals were from long distance. 12 of their 13 first half field goal conversions were three-pointers.
- Holy Cross dominated the paint scoring 18 points to the Mountain Hawks two in the first half and 38-to-10 in the entire contest.
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders travel to Pennsylvania for the final time in the regular season to Lafayette on Thursday, February 3rd for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.
