COROPOLIS, Pa. (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth defensive struggle, Robert Morris remained undefeated, edging out Duquesne 64-62 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Tuesday night at a raucous Charles L. Sewall Center.

The Colonials improved to 4-0 on the young season, while the Dukes suffered their first loss, falling to 4-1.

The game was a tale of contrasting strengths. Robert Morris found its offense from beyond the arc, connecting on 9 of 23 three-point attempts. Duquesne, meanwhile, struggled from deep, making just 3 of 16, but managed to stay in the game by dominating the paint and forcing 19 Colonial turnovers.

The contest featured 11 lead changes and was never separated by more than seven points. Duquesne held a narrow 30-28 lead at halftime, but Robert Morris used an 18-point third quarter to seize a 46-45 advantage heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter was a tense affair, with neither team able to build a significant cushion. With the game tied at 61 and just 22 seconds remaining, Robert Morris’s Jada Lee was fouled and sent to the free-throw line. She calmly sank the second of two attempts to put the Colonials ahead for good.

Duquesne had a chance to tie or take the lead on its final possession, but a driving layup attempt was off the mark. Aislin Malcolm of Robert Morris was then fouled with three seconds left and made one of two free throws to extend the lead to two. A last-second, full-court heave from the Dukes was unsuccessful as time expired.

Robert Morris was led by a stellar performance from Noa Givon, who scored a game-high 21 points. Myriam Traore provided a strong all-around effort with 13 points and a game-high 37 minutes of action. Ava Leroux added 9 points and was a force defensively.

Duquesne was paced by Harriet Ford, who came off the bench to score 15 points and dish out four assists in just 25 minutes. Mackenzie Blackford shouldered the scoring load for much of the game, finishing with 16 points. Gabby Grantham-Medley contributed 12 points and four assists.

The Dukes were ultimately undone by their 22 turnovers and poor three-point shooting, which negated their advantages in field goal percentage and rebounding. Robert Morris capitalized on its opportunities at the charity stripe, making 13 of 17 free throws compared to Duquesne’s 9 of 14.

An announced crowd of 1,255 watched the Colonials secure their fourth consecutive victory to open the season, while the Dukes will look to rebound from their first blemish.