WILKES-BARRE – Alyssa Alfano (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross) scored a season high 20 points and Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) added 15 but the Wilkes University women's basketball fell by 79-66 score to visiting Susquehanna University in a non-conference clash Tuesday night at the Marts Center.

Wilkes dropped to 1-2 on the young season while Susquehanna, out of the Landmark Conference, opened its season with a victory.

Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove) hit a jumper at the 8:08 mark of the first quarter to score the game's first points. The River Hawks would score the next eight points before Kelley converted two consecutive layups to pull the Colonels back within two at 8-6. Kelley made good on two free throws with 2:15 left in the quarter to make the score 11-10. The sophomore continued her strong first quarter with a three pointer with five seconds remaining off an assist from Alfano. Kelley finished the first quarter with nine points as Wilkes trailed 16-15.

Susquehanna opened the second quarter with the first 10 points to go ahead 26-15 before Alfano connected on two free throws with 4:43 left until halftime. Two more from the stripe by Alfano cut the River Hawks lead into single digits at 35-26 with 1:39 left. Victoria Lombardi would close the second quarter scoring with Susquehanna's eighth make from behind the arc to send the River Hawks into the break with a 40-26 advantage.

The Colonels were a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the opening 20 minutes of action.

Caster provided Wilkes with energy to start the third quarter with two blocks on Susquehanna's first possession. On the other end Alfano made a driving layup and the next time up the floor she found Gianna Roberts (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) down low with a nice entry pass for a lay in to cut the score to 40-30 just 2:13 into the third quarter. The River Hawks settled things with the next eight points before Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) answered with a three-point basket.

As Susquehanna stayed hot from the floor Wilkes was able to get to the line. Alfano then drilled a trey to cut the score to 55-43 with 2:26 left in the third. The visitors then finished the quarter on a 9-3 run to lead 64-47 heading to the final 10 minutes.

After the River Harks built a 25-point lead early in the fourth Wilkes went on an 8-0 run to make the score 72-55 with 4:14 remaining. Alfano scored five of the eight points from the charity stripe during the run. The Colonels outscored the River Hawks by four points the rest of the way but were unable to mount a full comeback.

Alfano went 13-of-14 from the free-throw line and 3-of-6 from the floor for her game-high 20 points. She added six rebounds and three assists. Kelley finished with 15 points and added five rebounds and a career high three steals. Giordano had seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds while Roberts added seven points and six rebounds.

Erin McQuillen (15 points), Amalia Esposito (14) and Amanda Lemire (10) scored in double figures for Susquehanna.

The Colonels were 26-of-32 from the free-throw line in the game and led on the glass with 42 rebounds compared to 38 for the River Hawks.

The Colonels return to the court Friday night for their first game of the 2018 Cross County Challenge. Wilkes is set to face host Marywood University at 8:00 p.m. in Scranton, Pa.