Box Score
Dallas, PA – Marywood University used a late first half run to hold a seven-point halftime lead and then used a timely 8-0 run midway through the second half to pull away with a 65-52 victory over Misericordia University in non-conference women's basketball action on Saturday. With the win, the Pacers improve to 6-3 on the season while the Cougars fall to 4-4.
Misericordia took a 6-2 lead over the first 1:47 of Saturday afternoon's contest, and the four-point differential was the largest gap until the closing minutes of a tightly played first half in which the teams traded the lead nine times. With Marywood trailing 21-20 with 3:31 left in the opening period, Mariah Schaeffer (Bainbridge, NY) knocked down a pair of free throws to put the Pacers in the lead and starting a 10-2 run by Marywood to close the half. Carly Leitzel (Manheim, PA) hit a jumper at the buzzer to give the Pacers a 30-23 advantage at the break.
Schaeffer led all scorers with nine points while teammate Alysa Mayo (Media, PA) scored seven points for Marywood, who shot 44 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes of play and got 13 points from the bench. Jesse Robinson led Misericordia, who shot 38.5 percent from the floor, with eight points.
Marywood scored the first two baskets of the second half but the Cougars cut their deficit to six points on a Robinson field goal with 15:32 to play. The Pacers responded with an 8-0 run to hold a 42-28 lead with 13:41 to play and put the game out of reach as Misericordia was unable to narrow their deficit into single digits from that point forward.
Marywood's Marielle Thorsen (Belvidere, NJ) led all scorers with 17 points on 6-10 shooting and converting all three of her free throw attempts. The junior also tied for a game-best with eight rebounds. Schaeffer finished the contest with 12 points after hitting 4-8 field goal attempts and a pair of free throws as Marywood shot 48.9 percent from the floor for the game and 75 percent from the free throw line. Allison Bruet (Binghamton, NY) added a game-high six assist for the Pacers.
Misericordia placed three players in double figures with Hannah Seely leading the way with 14 points and eight rebounds. Robinson finished with 13 points and Kelsey Wantz added 11 for the Cougars, who shot 42 percent from the floor and 64.3 percent from the charity stripe.
Marywood will host the University of Scranton next Saturday in their final game before the holiday break. The non-conference game between the Pacers and Royals will start at 1:00 p.m. in the Insalaco Arena.
