GRANTHAM, Pa. – Despite being the first opponent to hold MAC Commonwealth-leading Messiah College to less than 60 points in 2020, the Lycoming College women's basketball team fell, 58-23, on Wednesday night, Jan. 29, at Hitchcock Arena.
 
Senior Akilah McFadden (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) led the Warriors (12-7 overall, 5-5 MAC Commonwealth) with six points, two steals and a block and junior Erica Lutz (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) added five points, 11 rebounds and a block.
 
Messiah (15-3 overall, 9-1 MAC Commonwealth) built a 10-2 lead in the first five minutes of a low-scoring first half. The Warriors came back, closing within 11-9 after an old-fashioned 3-point play from freshman Kenzie Reed (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) a minute into the second quarter. Messiah got the lead to six points twice late in the half, taking a 19-13 lead into the break, despite shooting just 22 percent from the field.
 
Lycoming cut the lead within four points to start the second half after a jumper from McFadden before Messiah went on a 21-2 run to end the quarter. Messiah, which shot 47 percent from the field in the second half, expanded the lead to 35 at the end of the game after Brooke Breinich hit a layup with a second left.
 
Jayneisha Davis and Megan Zimmerman each had 13 points and seven rebounds to lead Messiah. Leah Springer and Breinich each had 10 points.
 
The Warriors stayed in a tie for fourth in the MAC Commonwealth with Stevenson, as Stevenson fell to Alvernia, 58-49, with six games remaining in conference action.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Saturday, Feb. 1, when they host Hood College at 1 p.m. at Lamade Gym in a MAC Commonwealth game.