DALLAS, Pa. – Junior Nicole Calella (Sandyston, N.J./Kittatinny Regional) notched a career-high 19 points and sophomore Shelby Mueller (Collegeville, Pa./Spring-Ford) added 16 to lead the Lycoming College women's basketball team on Tuesday night, Nov. 24, but a late rally by Lycoming fell short as Misericordia University recorded a 65-59 win at the Anderson Center.
 
The Warriors (3-2 overall) closed within three times in the final four minutes, but the Cougars (2-2 overall) answered each time. Freshman Becca Painter (Elverson, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) rebounded a missed free throw and put it in with 27 seconds left to make it 61-59, but Misericordia won the game at the free throw line, hitting its last four free throws.
 
The Warriors had drawn within two points off a 3-pointer from the top of the key by senior Olivia Manges (York, Pa./West York) with 2:29 left, but Misericordia responded with a jumper by Leanne Forsyth and took a 61-55 lead with 31 seconds left before the Warriors responded with a  layup by Calella and Painter's putback.
 
Misericordia took an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter before Lycoming held the Cougars scoreless for the next four minutes, with Calella tying the game off a jumper with 4:55 left, but Justine Seely ended the scoreless drought with 4:30 left on a layup and the Cougars didn't relinquish the lead.
 
The Warriors jumped out on a 8-2 run in the game's first five minutes before the Cougars cut the lead with a 14-7 run to close the first quarter, with a jumper by Mueller giving Lycoming a 16-15 lead headed into the second. Misericordia took a five-point lead midway into the second quarter, but Lycoming responded with a 13-2 run, capped by an old-fashioned play by Calella with 1:23 left in the half. Rachel Carmody hit a jumper and then a 3-pointer to cut the Warriors' advantage to just one point at 29-28 at the break.
 
The Cougars took the lead back in the third quarter at 33-32 and led by as many as 10 in the quarter at 45-35 with 1:03 left before a pair of late buckets by Lycoming set up the fourth quarter.
 
Freshman Jenn Grove (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area) added nine points, six rebounds and two assists and senior Chelsea Henderson (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) added six points, four rebounds and three steals. Calella also had five assists and three steals and Mueller notched nine rebounds and two blocks.
 
Both Jaclyn Hajec and Carmody led the Cougars with 10 points and 10 rebounds each. Japriya Carroll and Alexa Plitt each posted eight points and Leanne Forsyth had seven points, seven rebounds and six assists.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Sunday, Nov. 29, when they head to Susquehanna for a 6 p.m. game.