WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Freshman Kayla Kline (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) had a career-high 24 points to lead the Lycoming College women's basketball team, which came back from a 17-point halftime deficit to take a fourth quarter lead, but 20^th-ranked Messiah used a late run to post a 60-54 MAC Commonwealth win on Wednesday night, Jan. 25, at Lamade Gym.
 
The Warriors (11-7 overall, 5-5 MAC Commonwealth) were led by freshmen in their upset effort, as Kline posted 24 goals and eight rebounds, Akilah McFadden (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) added 14 points, three assists and three steals and Morgan Mader (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East), who notched eight points, two rebounds and a steal.
  Lycoming began its comeback by scoring the first 10 points of the third quarter, thanks to old-fashioned 3-point plays from McFadden and Kline. Lycoming kept the pressure on, starting the half on a 17-2 run, with a layup from Kline with 3:45 left making it 41-39. The Falcons (17-1 overall, 8-1 MAC Commonwealth) responded, though, with the final five points of the quarter, taking a 46-39 lead with 22 seconds left off a 3-pointer from Becca Isaac.
 
The Warriors didn't go away in the fourth quarter, posting the first eight points of the final quarter while their defense strangled the Falcons, forcing two shotclock violations. Finally, a third-chance layup from Kline put the Warriors in the lead at 49-46 with 6:09 left.
 
The 20^th-ranked Falcons were able to respond, as Alecia Rohrer hit three straight jumpers before Gillian Glackin added two more to make it 56-49 with 59 seconds left. The Warriors cut the lead down, getting as close as three after a second-chance layup from Mader with 33 seconds left, but a 3-for-6 effort at the line in the final seconds was enough for Messiah to secure the win.

The Falcons used a pressing defense to force 13 points off turnover in the first quarter, but Lycoming was able to cut a 10-point Falcon advantage to five points as the quarter entered its final minute after freshman Morgan Mader (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) hit two free throws with 28 seconds left. However, Kaitlyn Hoff responded with a jumper to give Messiah a 21-14 lead heading into the second period.
 
The Warriors were able to get within six points off a 3-pointer from freshman Kayla Kline (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area) with 8:11 left and the Warriors stayed within three possessions until the final 2:35 of the period, when the Falcons scored eight straight points to take a 39-22 lead into the break.
 
Lycoming scored 30 points in the paint compared to 22 from Messiah and added 21 points off turnover to help it get back into the game, despite shooting just 36 percent from the field (21-of-58), while Messiah shot 43 percent (23-of-54).
 
The Falcons were led by 17 points, five rebounds and three assists from Rohrer. Glackin added 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks and Hoff added 10 points, three steals and six assists.
 
The Warriors get back on the court with an important MAC Commonwealth doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 28, with the women facing Widener at 1 p.m. before the men play at 3 p.m. in Lamade Gym.