WILKES-BARRE, PA – Junior Gabby Smicherko (Edwardsville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) scored a career-high 17 points but the Wilkes University women's basketball team fell 65-58 to Marywood University as part of the 2019 Cross Country Challenge hosted by King's College.

The loss dropped Wilkes to 3-2 overall and Marywood improved to 2-3.

The Pacers built an 8-0 lead early in the first quarter before a Katelyn Kinczel (Highland Heights, OH/Mayfield) three-pointer put the Colonels on the scoreboard with 7:30 left in the first 10-minutes. Following another three by Kinczel and one from Vanessa Whitecavage (Shenandoah, PA/Marian Catholic) the Colonels cut the lead to two points at 11-9 with 4:50 left. Marywood built its lead to as many as nine before leading 21-14 heading to the second quarter.

The Colonels failed to make a substantial run in the second quarter as the Pacers led by as many as 12 and by 11 at 37-26 when the horn sounded for halftime.

With 4:41 left in the third Marywood built its largest lead of the game at 17 points as it led 50-33. Whitecavage capped an 8-3 run by the Colonels to close the third quarter with a three-pointer to make the score 53-41 heading to the fourth.

Following two Smicherko layups it was an Ariel Reed (Woodbury, PA/Northern Bedford) three-pointer that cut the lead to single-digits at 56-49 with 6:34 showing on the clock. Kinczel's third three of the game cut the deficit to six but only 1:13 remained in the game as Maywood led 62-56. Alyssa Alfano's (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross) bucket in the paint made it a five-point game with 45 ticks left but that is as close as Wilkes would claw.

Smicherko added five rebounds and two steals to her 17 points. Kinczel finished with nine points while Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) and Whitecavage each added eight points. Juliann Duignam (Tatamy, PA/Nazareth) tied Smicherko with a team-high five rebounds.

Allison Bashore scored a game-high 18 points for Marywood and Olivia Kosin had a game-high 10 rebounds.

Wilkes will close out the Cross County Challenge tomorrow with a 1:00 p.m. Sunday tipoff against No. 3 Scranton again at King's College.