BALTIMORE (Interstat) — In a game defined by grit over grace, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks outlasted the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds in overtime, 67-61, in a Patriot League women’s basketball contest Wednesday night at Reitz Arena.

The victory improved Lehigh to 9-8 overall, while Loyola Maryland fell to 8-10.

The game’s defining sequence, and perhaps its most critical flaw, came not from a made basket but from a missed opportunity in the final seconds of regulation. With the score tied at 57 and under 10 seconds to play, Loyola Maryland’s Koi Sims turned the ball over near midcourt. Lehigh’s Alana Reddy pounced on the loose ball, securing a final possession for the Mountain Hawks with 2.2 seconds left. A desperation three-point attempt by Belle Bramer at the buzzer missed, forcing the extra period, but the turnover robbed the Greyhounds of a chance to win it in regulation.

Lehigh dominated the overtime period, outscoring Loyola Maryland 10-4. The Mountain Hawks seized control early as Whitney Lind sank a three-pointer on the first possession, and the Greyhounds managed just one field goal in the extra five minutes, a layup by Sims. Loyola Maryland’s offense, which had relied heavily on interior scoring, went cold at the most inopportune time.

The contest was a study in contrasting styles and statistical anomalies. Loyola Maryland dominated the paint, outscoring Lehigh 42-22, and crushed the Mountain Hawks on the offensive glass, 16-4. The Greyhounds also shot a higher percentage from the field, connecting on 26 of 62 attempts compared to Lehigh’s 19 of 46.

Yet Lehigh prevailed by leveraging advantages from the perimeter and the free-throw line. The Mountain Hawks made eight three-pointers to Loyola Maryland’s four and attempted 33 free throws, making 21, while the Greyhounds went just 5 of 7 from the line. Lehigh also forced 19 Loyola Maryland turnovers, converting them into 19 points, and recorded 13 steals.

The individual battle featured a spectacular performance from Lehigh’s Lily Fandre. The 6-foot-1 junior from Eagan, Minnesota, played 40 minutes and scored a game-high 32 points, including three three-pointers and 11 of 14 shooting from the free-throw line. She added two assists and was central to Lehigh’s offensive execution throughout the night.

Fandre received crucial support from Lind, a 6-foot-2 guard from Florence, Kentucky, who scored 24 points, with 10 coming in the overtime period. Lind also grabbed six rebounds. Reddy, from Sydney, Australia, directed the offense with six assists and four steals in 36 minutes.

Loyola Maryland was led by Lex Therien, a 6-foot-1 forward from Marlton, New Jersey, who posted 19 points and two assists in 28 minutes before fouling out in overtime. Sims, a 6-foot forward from Glen Burnie, Maryland, was a force inside with 18 points and two blocks. Sydney Bass of Strongsville, Ohio, added 10 points, and Cristina Garcia from Barcelona, Spain, contributed four points and four assists.

The game was tightly contested throughout, featuring 10 ties and 13 lead changes. Loyola Maryland led 31-28 at halftime and maintained a narrow edge for much of the second half, but could never pull away. Lehigh’s persistence, particularly at the free-throw line and from beyond the arc, kept them within striking distance until their overtime surge.

Lehigh next hosts Lafayette on Saturday. Loyola Maryland travels to face Bucknell, also on Saturday.