FOUNTAIN HILL, Pa. (Interstat) — In a game defined by missed opportunities and a frantic final minute, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks escaped with a 63-62 victory over the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds in a Patriot League women’s basketball clash Wednesday night at Stabler Arena.

The outcome, decided by a single free throw with eight seconds remaining, saw Lehigh improve to 11-10 overall while Loyola Maryland fell to 9-13. The result avenged a Mountain Hawks overtime win just two weeks prior and unfolded in a tense, back-and-forth affair where neither team led by more than seven points.

The most critical sequence began with the score tied at 62 and 18 seconds left. Loyola Maryland’s Cristina Garcia fouled Lehigh’s Gracyn Lovette, sending the junior guard to the line for two shots. Lovette missed the first, but calmly sank the second to put the Mountain Hawks ahead by the slimmest of margins.

Loyola Maryland called timeout to advance the ball and set up a final play. The inbounds pass went to Olivia Shaughnessy, whose contested jump shot from the left side as time expired missed the mark, sealing the heartbreaking defeat for the Greyhounds.

The game’s final minute was a microcosm of the entire contest, featuring lead changes, crucial turnovers, and pressure-packed free throws. With Lehigh leading 61-59, Loyola Maryland’s Amandine Amorich hit a clutch three-pointer off an assist from Kimmie Hicks to give the Greyhounds a 62-61 lead with 2:20 to play. On the ensuing possession, Amorich fouled Lehigh’s Whitney Lind, who made one of two free throws to tie the game at 62 with 2:59 remaining.

Both teams then traded empty possessions, including a critical turnover by Lehigh’s Alana Reddy with 47 seconds left, giving Loyola Maryland the ball and a chance to hold for the last shot. The Greyhounds, however, could not capitalize, setting the stage for Lovette’s game-winning free throw.

Statistically, the game was a study in contrasting efficiencies. Lehigh won despite shooting just 19 of 44 from the field, a 43.2% clip, compared to Loyola Maryland’s 20 of 45 for 44.4%. The Mountain Hawks’ advantage came from beyond the arc, where they hit 9 of 24 three-point attempts, and at the free-throw line, where they were a near-perfect 16 of 18. Loyola Maryland attempted more free throws but made only 18 of 26.

Lehigh’s offensive execution in its half-court sets, led by point guard Alana Reddy of Sydney, Australia, who dished out eight assists against just two turnovers, proved decisive in a game with 31 combined turnovers. The Mountain Hawks scored 63 points on just 63 possessions, an offensive rating of 100.7, while Loyola Maryland managed 62 points on 67 trips, a rating of 92.1.

Whitney Lind led all Lehigh scorers with 17 points, adding three blocks and two steals in 34 minutes. Lily Fandre contributed 14 points and Katie Hurt added 10 off the bench. Belle Bramer also chipped in 11 points for a balanced Mountain Hawks attack.

For Loyola Maryland, Kimmie Hicks of Annapolis, Maryland, was the offensive catalyst, scoring a game-high 19 points, including 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. Lex Therien of Marlton, New Jersey, added 17 points and a game-high nine rebounds, but her potential go-ahead free throws with 1:12 remaining both missed, leaving the score tied at 62.

The game began with Lehigh establishing an early edge, closing the first quarter with a 7-0 run to lead 17-10. The Greyhounds responded with a strong second quarter, outscoring the Mountain Hawks 17-11 to trim the halftime deficit to 28-27. Lehigh seemed to seize control in the third quarter, using a 12-4 run to build its largest lead at 48-38, but Loyola Maryland closed the period on a 10-0 run of its own, capped by two Hicks free throws, to tie the game at 48 heading into the final frame.

The fourth quarter featured five lead changes and two ties, with neither team able to secure more than a four-point advantage, culminating in the dramatic final seconds.

The win moves Lehigh to 11-10 overall and provides momentum heading into a Saturday home game against Holy Cross. Loyola Maryland, now 9-13, will look to rebound quickly when it hosts Boston University on Saturday.