WILKES-BARRE – Wilkes University women's basketball team scored 45 points in the second half and came within four points of the Pacers, but the push would not be enough as they would fall to Marywood University 77-66 in non-conference action on Monday afternoon at the Marts Center.
 
The Colonels drop to 1-4 on the season while the Pacers improve to 5-1 on the year.
 
The game started slow, as both teams would only make one shot within the first four minutes of the game. Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) would get the first points of the game as she received an Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) pass and made the layup in the first minute. Savannah Purdy would make the first bucket for the Pacers, as Abbey McGee would find her teammate beyond the arc to make a three-pointer for Marywood. Both teams would find their footing, with Marywood taking a lead into the first quarter 13-8. Breanna Babcock would keep the Colonels in the period as she would get two layups in the first quarter.
 
The second would begin as Victoria Crooker (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) would make a three-pointer to cut the lead down to two. McGee would make a jumper, which Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona) followed suit to keep Wilkes within distance to take the lead. Jordyn Jennings (York, PA/Northeastern) would go to the line and make both free throws to tie the game up. Both teams would trade buckets once again, but the Pacers would go on a 15-6 run to go into the half with a 30-21 lead.
 
The third quarter saw Marywood keep up their offensive momentum, scoring eight of the first 10 points in the beginning of the second half to extend their lead 38-23. Shober hit a layup while Horton made a three to make it a ten point game. Both teams would trade layups and three pointers, with Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) making the layup and Matos hitting a three pointer and a layup in that stretch to get Wilkes within single digits of the Pacers, 44-35. The Pacers would begin to pull away, getting layups and opportunities to extend their lead. Rebounding the ball helped them, getting 15 rebounds in the third, with eight of them being offensive rebounds. They would head into the last quarter with a 60-45 lead.
 
After Marywood would get the first four points in the quarter, Wilkes would begin to pick up momentum. Regan Holder would get a three pointer, while Matos and Crooker made their free throws to make the game 64-54. Holden and Crooker would make layups to keep the game at 66-58. Matos would then hit three more free throws, including an and-one to get the Colonels behind 66-62 with 1:31 remaining in the game. After McGee made both her free throws, Crooker missed a three point shot, making Wilkes continue to foul in the last portion of the contest. Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and Matos would get layups in the final minute, but the Pacers would make nine of their last 10 free throws to get the victory over the Colonels 77-66.
 
Matos would lead the team with 20 points on the night, shooting 6-15 from the field and making seven of her eight free throws while also getting four rebounds and three steals. Crooker followed behind with 12 points, while Babcock had 10 in the contest. Horton had 10 rebounds while scoring five points, while Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) had three assists.
 
The Colonels will continue their home stretch as they host Lycoming College in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in the Marts Center.