SWARTHMORE, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's basketball team lost its fourth straight game on Wednesday, falling 49-46 at Swarthmore. The three-point loss marks the third game this season that the Bears have lost by three or fewer points.
With both teams all tied up at 5-5 in Centennial Conference action and the Bears taking the first meeting of the season at home, 68-57, Wednesday's contest was an important one for both sides. That was indicative in the first 10 minutes of play with both teams going back and forth, matching the other shot for shot.
After starting down 4-0, a pair of makes from Lydia Konstanzer knotted the score at four points apiece. The Garnet (9-7, 6-5 CC) answered and retook the lead with a 3, but Aliyah Stephens put Ursinus ahead at 8-7 with her first points of the game.
All tied up at 11 with the opening frame coming to a close, Erin Devine found netting on a lay-up before Katherine Eckhoff drained a 3-pointer with 25 seconds remaining to give the Bears (6-10, 5-6 CC) a much needed 16-11 advantage heading into the second quarter.
Points were much more difficult to come by in the second quarter. Until 3:21 in the quarter, the two sides shot a combined 4-for-21. Gabby Downs and Marisa Morano made the only shots for the Bears as the team ended the quarter on a 5:55 scoreless run.
Despite the offensive struggle, the Ursinus defense stepped up on the other end of the floor. It wasn't until a lay-up with 2:36 remaining that the Garnet took their first lead since 11-10 in the first quarter. Swarthmore would end the half on a 7-0 run as the Bears trailed, 23-20, after 20 minutes.
Out of the half, Stephens immediately tied the score for the Bears, cashing in on an 'and-one' opportunity after getting fouled on her way to the basket. The junior took over the third quarter, scoring the next seven points for Ursinus.
Stephens tied the score at 27 and 29 before converting on a free throw as the Bears found themselves down 33-30. Francesca Bogiatzis scored the first non-Stephens points of the quarter for the Bears, converting a lay-up. Heading into the final quarter, Ursinus trailed 40-36.
The Bears went down by five early after a Swarthmore jumper to begin the fourth, but fought back within one on three separate occasions. Alyssa Martin put the Bears within one after a lay-up and then it was Stephens who brought the Bears back at 44-43 and 47-46.
However, each time the Bears came close, it the Garnet who made the next shot to keep their distance. Still trailing by three with under a minute to play, the Bears had a pair of looks from beyond the arc to tie the game, but were unable to convert – the last from Gabby Downs with five seconds remaining.
For a second straight game, Stephens scored 20 points to lead the team. The junior is in the midst of a career year in which she's averaging 17.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds. Konstanzer finished with another double-double, tallying 11 points with 10 boards.
The Bears return home on Saturday to play Franklin & Marshall at 1 p.m.