BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley women's basketball team overcame a five-point first quarter deficit to defeat host Moravian University 66-61 on Saturday afternoon at Johnston Hall for the team's third consecutive victory.
 
The Greyhounds (2-7) got on the board first with a fastbreak layup. Kate Fitzpatrick knocked down a three off a pass from Riley Hevelow on the next trip down the court to give LVC (6-4) the lead. Neither team was able to score again until 5:42 left in the quarter as Fitzpatrick found Cristina Fernandez underneath for a layup. Moravian used an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to go up 10-5. Brielle Reidinger stopped the run with a pair of free throws and then knocked down a jumper in the paint to make it 12-9 with 2:55 left. The Greyhounds outscored the Dutchmen 7-5 the rest of the way to take a 19-14 lead into the second quarter. The score was 19-11 before Fitzpatrick hit a three with 19 seconds left off a feed by Abbie Reed.
 
Moravian scored to begin the second quarter and Fitzpatrick knocked down another three on LVC's opening possession. Reidinger hit two free throws and Hevelow drained a jumper to tie the game up at 21. The Greyhounds responded with the next four points followed by four points by LVC to make it 25-all with 4:14 left in the half. Moravian used a 5-2 run to take a three-point lead before Fernandez scored the final points of the half in the paint.
 
Reed gave the Dutchmen the lead on the opening possession of the third quarter with a jumper in the paint. After the Greyhounds scored to retake the lead, LVC used a 9-0 run to go up 40-32. Fernandez started the run with a bucket and then Reidinger scored down low. Fitzpatrick hit a three and then Reidinger scored underneath again with 6:36 of the clock. Hevelow gave the Dutchmen their largest lead of the quarter at 46-36 with a three-pointer at 3:47. The Greyhounds were able to outscore LVC 9-4 the rest of the way to cut the lead down to five heading into the final 10 minutes. Moravian hit a three to make it a three-point game with a minute left, but Fitzpatrick countered with a bucket to bring it back to a two-possession game.
 
Fernandez found Fitzpatrick open for the first basket of the fourth quarter before the Greyhounds used a 8-0 run to go up 53-52 with 6:40 left. Moravian still had a one-point advantage halfway through the quarter before Fitzpatrick knocked down a three with just under four minutes left to give the Dutchmen back the lead. Moravian got a pair of buckets down low before Fitzpatrick hit another three. The Greyhounds responded with a jumper to take a 61-60 lead with 1:38 left. Reidinger gave LVC back the lead on a bucket in the paint forcing Moravian to call a timeout with 1:09 left. The Dutchmen drew a charge on the next trip down the court. Fitzpatrick closed the game out at the line hitting all four free throws attempts she had in the final 20 seconds to secure the win.
 
Inside the Box

• Fitzpatrick had a huge game with 27 points including six made three-pointers. She was one point shy of her career-high and one three-pointer shy of the school record.
• Easton native Brielle Reidinger had a huge game with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
• Fernandez had another big game with 11 points and four assists.
• Hevelow added seven points and five assists while Reed pulled down five rebounds.
• The Dutchmen shot 48 percent from the field including 35 percent from deep. LVC blocked a season-high five shots.
• LVC beat Moravian for the first time since 2004 when they were both members of the Commonwealth Conference and ended a 12-game winning streak for the Greyhounds in the series.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will close out the non-conference slate with the final home game of 2023 on Tuesday evening as Susquehanna University visits Sorrentino Gymnasium for a 6 p.m. tip.

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