Marywood Comes Back to Down Wilkes in Inaugural Cross County Challenge
Natasha Hessling engineered the Pacers' comeback with 17 points

Marywood Comes Back to Down Wilkes in Inaugural Cross County Challenge

Women's Basketball - 11/26/2016 9:27:00 PM

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Scranton, Pa. – Gab Giordano hit a game-winning field goal with 7.2 seconds remaining to lift Marywood University women's basketball to a 74-71 victory over Wilkes University Saturday in the inaugural Cross County Challenge. The Pacers will face King's College Sunday at 5 p.m. at the University of Scranton's Long Center.

Marywood used a 14-point run in the third and fourth quarters to come back from an 11-point deficit. Trailing 61-50 in the third, Marywood rattled four points in the final 54 seconds of the third. The Pacers (2-2) scored 10 straight in the first 2:32 of the fourth. Natasha Hessling supplied the team with a 64-61 lead on a layup to close the run.

Hessling matched Giordano with a game-high 17 points. Hessling was a rebound shy of a double-double and went 8 of 12 from the field. Giordano contributed an all-around effort with eight assists and six rebounds.

Catie Nealon reached double-figures for the first time this season with 13 points. Alyssa Olson totaled 14 points.

Marywood shot 40.6 percent from the field to the Colonels' 43.4 percent. The Pacers held onto a 40-38 edge in rebounds. Both teams shot 14 of 19 (73.7 percent) at the line.

The lead was either tied or changed eight times in the fourth quarter. Wilkes regained the lead (66-64) on an Emelie Meinhart layup with 5:38 left in the game. The Colonels were hanging on until Hessling hit a jump shot with 42 seconds left to tie the game at 71-71. After a timeout, Lisa Steakin stole the ball off Ashley Caster with 21 seconds remaining.

After hitting the game-winning shot, Giordano collected a defensive rebound and made a free-throw shot to secure the victory.

Wilkes (2-3) was led by Alyssa Alfano with 13 points. Haley Mesaros tabbed 10 points. 
 
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