Gettysburg, Pa. - The Ursinus College women's basketball team (5-6, 4-2 CC) came up just short Saturday afternoon, falling 64-61 at Gettysburg. The Bears led by as much as 11 in the third quarter but shot 33% and were outscored 18-11 in the fourth to lose by three.
The Bears started slowly, going down 10-2 out of the gates. However, a three from Marisa Morano gave the Ursinus offense the spark it needed as it closed out the opening frame on an 11-2 run. Aliyah Stephens put the Bears up 13-12 with seven seconds remaining and would stay that way heading into the second.
The two sides exchanged layups at both ends as the Bullets took the lead and then the Bears took it back. The lay-in from Lydia Konstanzer put Ursinus up 17-16 to begin what was an 8-0 run to go up by seven. The Bears would lead for the game's next 20 minutes.
Gettysburgh pulled back within one, but a Morano trey extended the lead back to four before back-to-back makes from Stephens had the Bears up 33-25 going into the half.
Coming out of the break it was another jumper from Stephens that made the Ursinus lead double-digits. She then converted on an 'and-one' to put Ursinus up 41-29 later in the quarter. Just when it looked like the Bears might take control, the Bullets came crawling back. Gettysburg outscored Ursinus 11-7 in the final five minutes of the frame to cut the deficit to four at 50-46 heading into the final quarter.
The Bullets kept that momentum going into the final 10 minutes. Gettysburg made the first two shots to tie the score at 50 and then for the first time since 8:10 in the second quarter, the Bears lost the lead at 52-50. Ursinus was unable to make a basket until 3:53 to go, trailing 57-50. Stephens pulled the Bears back within five with a made lay-up and then it was Morano who found netting on a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to three with under a minute to play. However, Gettysburg made one-of-two free throws at the other end to go back up by four.
With just eight seconds remaining, Francesca Bogiatzis brought in her own rebound and fought through a foul going back up for the lay-in. The senior converted on the three-point play to cut the deficit to one, 62-61. The Bullets made both ensuing free throws before Gabby Downs missed the final shot as the Bears fell, 64-61.
Ursinus loses its first Centennial Conference game in four tries after going on a three-game win streak in conference action. After losing to Williams to close out the HoopsMIA D3 shootout tournament by a single point, Ursinus fell by three points or less for a second straight game.
Stephens led the Bears scoring with 22 as she also added eight rebounds. Konstanzer recorded another double-double to start off the new decade with a team-high 10 rebounds to go with 12 points.
Ursinus is back in action on Tuesday when it travels to Maryland to play Washington College for the second time this season. The Bears took the first game of the season series, 79-64, back on December 7.