BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Junior guard
Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly was one rebound shy of a double-double as the Holy Cross women's basketball team suffered a 60-47 loss to Patriot League opponent Lehigh Saturday evening in Stabler Arena.
Donnelly scored 13 points with nine rebounds to go with a career-high three steals and three triples for the Crusaders (14-7, 7-3 PL). Senior forward
Lindsay Berger scored a team-high 14 points.
For Lehigh (18-4, 9-1 PL), Maddie Albrecht dropped a contest-best 22 points with five steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lehigh opened the contest scoring eight straight points over the opening 3:07 of the contest. Donnelly halted the Crusader scoreless stretching knocking down a bucket making it 10-2. Donnelly connected on a triple making it 15-5 through one stanza.
- Back-to-back Berger buckets dropped the Crusader deficit to eight 19-11 with 8:19 left in the half. The Mountain Hawks' edge increased to a first half high of 19 points with 2:55 to go. Senior Lauren Huber converted a layup as the hosts doubled up the guests 34-17 at the intermission.
- Junior guard Kaitlyn Flanagan began the second half knocking down a wing triple. Lehigh expanded their lead to 20, 45-25 with 4:58 left in the third. Seven in a row from the Crusaders made it a 13 point 45-32 game. Donnelly knocked down a three as the horn sounded pulling the guests within 12, 47-35 as they closed the quarter on a 10-2 burst.
- The Crusader run grew to 12-2 as Berger got a second chance bucket making it 47-37. Donnelly dished to Berger to bring the deficit to single figures, 52-43. Lehigh reestablished the double-digit lead to take the matchup.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Huber made her first collegiate start.
- Lehigh outscored the Crusaders 36-to-20 in the paint.
- The loss was the first time this season that the Crusaders suffered back-to-back setbacks.
- The 19 turnovers were a Patriot League slate high for the Crusaders as well as the 18 for the Mountain Hawks.
- Holy Cross held Lehigh to 19.0 percent (4-of-21) shooting from deep which was a Patriot League schedule low.
- The 47 points scored were a season-low for the Crusaders.
- Sophomore guard Hannah Griffin scored a career-high five points and matched a career-best with four rebounds in 27 minutes of action.
UP NEXT:
Be the Power of Purple and celebrate Holy Cross' 10th Giving Day on February 7 & 8 — because when you make a gift, you make an impact!
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