FOUNTAIN HILL, Pa. (Interstat) — In a pivotal Patriot League clash, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks used a dominant second-quarter surge and clutch late-game execution to defeat the Navy Midshipmen 75-64 in a women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Stabler Arena.

The victory improved Lehigh to 14-11 overall and provided a significant boost in the conference standings, while Navy, which entered on a five-game winning streak, fell to 18-7.

The game’s decisive stretch came in the second quarter. After a tightly contested opening period that ended with Lehigh holding a slim 19-18 lead, the Mountain Hawks seized control with a 21-point quarter. They opened the frame on a 12-3 run, fueled by transition opportunities and defensive pressure. Lehigh scored 21 points off Navy turnovers in the game, with many coming during this critical span, to build a 40-30 halftime advantage.

Navy, which leads the league in defense, struggled to contain Lehigh’s offensive balance. The Midshipmen mounted a persistent challenge, particularly in the paint where they outscored Lehigh 42-32, but could never fully close the gap. Every time Navy threatened, Lehigh had an answer.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the final minutes of the fourth quarter with Navy refusing to capitulate. After cutting the deficit to single digits multiple times, the Mids closed to within 66-60 on a Zanai Barnett-Gay layup with just over five minutes remaining. Lehigh’s Whitney Lind then converted a pair of free throws, but Navy’s Christina Liggio answered with two of her own to keep it a six-point game at 68-62 with 5:51 left.

From there, Lehigh’s veteran core executed a game-sealing sequence. Lily Fandre found Alana Reddy for a layup, and after a Navy turnover, Lind was fouled and made two more free throws to push the lead back to 10 with 4:19 to play. Navy’s Barnett-Gay scored on a driving layup to make it 72-66 with 1:47 on the clock, but the Mountain Hawks iced the game at the foul line. Fandre and Lind combined to hit three of four free throws in the final 90 seconds, and a late Belle Bramer free throw provided the final margin, as Lehigh scored 21 points in the final quarter to secure the win.

Lind, a junior from Florence, Kentucky, led all scorers with 20 points and added key defensive plays down the stretch. Fandre, a sophomore from Eagan, Minnesota, was instrumental with 21 points, playing 35 minutes and facilitating the offense. Reddy, a sophomore from Sydney, Australia, chipped in 11 points, and Bramer added 13.

For Navy, Barnett-Gay, the dynamic sophomore from Glenn Dale, Maryland, paced the Mids with 14 points and six assists. Center Kate Samson of Richmond, Virginia, provided an efficient 12 points and a block in just 13 minutes of action. Julianna Almeida contributed nine points and five assists.

The game was a contrast in styles. Navy’s methodical, paint-centric attack generated high-percentage looks but was undermined by 21 turnovers. Lehigh’s more perimeter-oriented offense, which capitalized on those miscues, proved to be the difference. The Mountain Hawks also displayed superior composure in the closing minutes, making 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off Navy’s final push.

A crowd of 504 at Stabler Arena saw Lehigh snap a two-game skid and gain momentum heading into the final stretch of conference play. Navy saw its winning streak halted and will look to regroup quickly with the annual Star Game against Army looming next on the schedule.

The result tightened the Patriot League race significantly, with Lehigh demonstrating its capability to challenge the conference’s top teams on its home floor.