WILKES-BARRE – In a game that was tightly-contested until the final buzzer, the Wilkes women's basketball team fell to Landmark Conference opponent Lycoming College by a score of 57-52 Wednesday night at the Marts Center.
 
The loss leveled the Colonels' overall record off at 4-4. They sit at 0-3 in the Landmark. Lycoming improved to 6-1 on the season and are 2-1 in conference play.
 
Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) got the scoring started for Wilkes after she avoided a Warrior defender and completed a layup in the paint. Following Shober's opening field goal, a trio of Lycoming three-pointers gave the visitors a 16-5 run and a 16-7 lead.

The run was stopped by a pair of treys and four made free throws by the Colonels' leading scorer, Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee). Her ten points made the contest a one-point game as Lycoming still led 18-17 with under a minute remaining in the first quarter.
 
Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) made her first appearance on the scoresheet with a timely jumper that beat the buzzer to give Wilkes a 19-18 lead after ten minutes of play.
 
Matos drained her third shot from behind the arc at 8:16 into the second quarter to collect her fifteenth points of the night.
 
Both teams managed to stifle their opposition's defense in the latter stages of the first half, as they combined for six points in the final five minutes of the second quarter. The Colonels took a 28-24 lead heading into halftime.
 
Wilkes shot 50 percent from three-point range and 40 percent from the field in the first half. Lycoming was perfect from the line, going 4-4. The Warriors also put up 11 offensive boards through the first 20 minutes of action.
 
Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) gave the Colonels a jolt of momentum with 4:51 left in the third quarter as she weaved through traffic and faked a shot before finishing the play under the rim to give Wilkes a 34-28 lead.
 
Defense continued to be the name of the game as the teams combined for 23 points in the third quarter. Wilkes and Lycoming each recorded four steals in the frame as the Warriors carried a 38-37 lead into the fourth. 
 
Lycoming got their offensive wheels turning in the final quarter, going on a 10-1 run to open the frame. Their momentum was subdued by a three-pointer by Matos. Wilkes trailed 48-41 with 5:53 to go in regulation time.
 
Taylor Simpson (Dunmore, PA/Lawrenceville School) pulled the Colonels within two points of the Warriors with a pivotal three-ball with 2:29 remaining. She continued to keep Wilkes in the game, draining a corner three to cut Lycoming's lead to 53-51 with just over a minute remaining in the game.
 
Wilkes displayed tremendous pressure on a Warriors inbound, resulting in a jump ball that favored the Colonels. The possession change gave Wilkes a chance to tie the game with a three-pointer, however the shot did not fall and Lycoming ultimately claimed a 57-52 victory.
 
Matos ended her night with a team-high 21 points along with six rebounds, four steals and an assist. Simpson followed with 11 points while Marino recorded her 200th career assist, becoming just the seventh player in program history to accomplish the feat. Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) led the team with eight rebounds.

Meghan Dufner led Lycoming with 16 points and a game-high five assists. Emily Lockard recorded 12 points and eight rebounds. Ashley Yoh finished the night with 7 points and five rebounds for the Warriors.
 
The Colonels return to action on Saturday, December 9 when they welcome Juniata College to the Marts Center. Tip-off against the Eagles is slated for 4:00 p.m.