Hounds Come Up Short in 2022-23 Landmark Conference Opener with Catholic

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University women's basketball squad had a double-digit lead early in the third quarter but came up a point short of visiting The Catholic University of America in the first game of the 2022-23 Landmark Conference season, falling to the Cardinals, 45-44, in Johnston Hall Saturday afternoon. 

How It Happened

• Both squads struggled to shoot the ball early with Catholic eventually taking a 2-0 lead with 7:13 to go in the opening quarter. The Greyhounds didn't get on the scoreboard until senior guard Morgan Amy sank a free throw at the 6:04 mark, and the Hounds' first field goal was a lay-up from graduate student forward Tessa Zamolyi with 3:15 on the clock as the Blue & Grey took a 3-2 edge. Moravian would hold a 7-5 edge after 10 minutes of action on a late lay-up from senior forward Emily Markowski
• Junior forward Sam Osorio opened the second quarter scoring with a lay-up for the Hounds, and the Blue and Grey had a 15-9 lead after a jumper from graduate student forward Kayla Yoegel midway through the quarter. Moravian netted the final six points of the half on three shots by Zamolyi as the Greyhounds headed to the locker room with a 23-14 advantage
• Amy started the third quarter with a lay-up for a 25-14 lead, and a jumper from Amy at the 5:36 mark had the edge back at 11 points with the Hounds up 29-18. However, Catholic slowly closed the gap and the Cardinals hit a late basket to trail just 31-28 after 30 minutes of action
• Zamolyi made it a five-point game early in the fourth quarter. Catholic knotted the score at 35-35 and then took the lead for good at 37-36 with 6:49 remaining. The Cardinals stretched the advantage out to five points at 45-40 with 1:55 to go, and Catholic did not score again. Moravian got within a point on a lay-up by Osorio with just under 11 seconds to go, and sophomore forward Brielle Guarente's jumper just before the buzzer was blocked to end the contest 

Inside the Numbers

• Moravian had two players in double figures with Zamolyi netting 14 points to go with six rebounds and a pair of steals. Amy added 10 points, seven boards and four assists
• Osorio contributed seven points, eight rebounds and two steals while junior guard Reganne Flannery had six points and three rebounds. Markwoski added four points and six boards while Yoegel had three points, three rebounds and two steals and Guarente recorded five rebounds, five assists and two steals
• The Greyhounds struggled shooting the entire afternoon going just 19-for-63 from the field and 6-for-14 at the foul line while missing all seven three-point attempts. The Hounds did force Catholic into 22 turnovers while committing just 15 miscues 

Up Next for the Greyhounds

• Wednesday, December 7 vs. Muhlenberg College, 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, December 17 at Lebanon Valley College, 2:00 p.m.