BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's basketball team netted just four points in the second quarter and trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half before rallying within two points in a 78-74 loss to DeSales University in non-conference action Tuesday evening in Johnston Hall.
The Greyhounds, who fall to 3-1 on the season with the loss, were playing their home opener on Tuesday and were down 21-19 after 10 minutes of action. The Blue and Grey then scored just four points in the second quarter as DeSales headed to the locker room with a 40-23 lead. Moravian outscored the Bulldogs 33-18 in the third period to pull within two points, 58-56, after 30 minutes but Moravian was never able to get any closer in the fourth quarter.
"After only scoring four points in 2nd quarter, and down big, we came out and turned it around," stated Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "I was proud of our effort, bet we just could not take the lead or tie it. We will learn and hopefully get better from this game against a very good DeSales team."
Moravian had three players score in double figures with senior forward Camille McPherson netted a game-high 27 points to go with six rebounds and a pair of assists. Freshman guard Maddie Capuano added 14 points and a pair of boards while junior center Ciara Stewart was in double figures for the first time with 10 points to go with seven rebounds, two steals and a pair of blocked shots.
Senior guard Morgan Calabrese tossed in nine points with six rebounds and six assists while junior forward Trista Cunningham and freshman guard Karlie Brogan each had six points with Cunningham adding six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots while Brogan had two steals. Freshman center Nadine Ewald made her season and collegiate debut with eight rebounds and two points while sophomore forward Ariana Caiati had two boards.
DeSales scored the first six points of the game before Moravian tied the contest at 6-6 on a McPherson fast break lay-up with 5:18 left in the opening quarter. The score would be tied twice more in the period, the final time at 17-17 after two free throws from Brogan but the Bulldogs led 21-19 after 10 minutes of action.
McPherson hit a lay-up to keep Moravian within four points, 25-21, with 8:13 to go in the second quarter; however, the Greyhounds would only score two more points before halftime on a lay-up by Stewart with 5:50 on the clock to cut the DeSales lead to 30-23. The Blue and Grey missed their final eight shots of the first half combined with four turnovers to head to the locker room down 40-23.
The Bulldogs kept the lead in double figures early in the second half and still lead by 17 points, 52-35, with 5:37 left in the third quarter. Moravian would go on a 21-6 run to end the quarter with back-to-back three-pointers from McPherson in the final 1:05 to send the Greyhounds to the fourth period down just 58-56.
Moravian closed within two points on four occasions in the fourth quarter but was unable to get the game tied or move ahead in the final minutes.
The Greyhounds, who opened the season with four games in eight days, now have a week off before returning to action on Tuesday, November 29 in a non-conference contest versus FDU-Florham beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.
