ANNVILLE, Pa. – Kate Fitzpatrick and Brielle Reidinger combined for 37 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Lebanon Valley women's basketball team in a tough 59-49 defeat to visiting Susquehanna University on Tuesday evening at Sorrentino Gymnasium.
 
Reidinger put the Dutchmen on the board first as she scored on a jumper on a nice pass by Riley Hevelow. The River Hawks tied things up at the other end of the court before Kate Fitzpatrick knocked down a three to give LVC a 5-2 lead two minutes in. The lead extended to 9-2 as Fitzpatrick and Hevelow scored on a pair of buckets. Susquehanna used a 6-0 run over the next three minutes to take their first lead of the game at 10-9. Kailey Eckhart scored on back-to-back possessions in the paint to give LVC back the lead at 13-10 after one.
 
Neither team was able to score for the first minute of the second quarter before Fitzpatrick knocked down a mid-range jumper off an assist by Cristina Fernandez. The River Hawks got a bucket before Reidinger scored the next four points on a layup and then two free throws. Susquehanna cut the lead down to three points with 1:42 on the clock with a 6-2 run. Fitzpatrick responded with a step-back three and then Reidinger hit another two free throws to make it an eight-point game. The River Hawks got a bucket before the end of the half to make it 26-20 heading into the break.
 
Fitzpatrick scored LVC's first seven points of the second half on a pair of jumpers and a three while Susquehanna scored just one bucket during the first three minutes.  Susquehanna responded with an 8-2 run over the next four minutes to cut it to 35-30. Hevelow hit a turnaround jumper at the free throw line to increase the lead back to seven. The River Hawks kept the pressure on and scored three buckets in the paint while holding LVC to a free throw by Reidinger to cut the lead down to two at 38-36 with two minutes left. The Dutchmen came out of a timeout and Eckhart scored underneath. The teams traded buckets to close out the scoring in the quarter as LVC held a 42-38 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
Fitzpatrick began the fourth quarter scoring with a jumper. The River Hawks answered at the other end before Hevelow sent Reidinger a great pass underneath for an easy layup. Susquehanna scored on a jumper and then a three to cut the lead down to one at 46-45. Fitzpatrick responded with a deep three near the end of the shot clock to put the Dutchmen up 49-45 with just under seven minutes to go. Susquehanna locked down defensively the rest of the way and outscored the Dutchmen 14-0 over the last seven minutes. The River Hawks began the run with a layup and free throw to bring it back to a one-point game. Back-to-back three pointers gave the River Hawks the lead with just over four minutes to go. Susquehanna's last made field goal of the game came with 2:18 on the clock with a layup before the River Hawks ended the game making three of six free throw attempts.
 
Inside the Box

• Fitzpatrick scored over 25 points for the second consecutive game finishing with 26. The guard knocked down four threes and was 11-21 from the field. She also grabbed four rebounds.
• Reidinger was a couple rebounds shy of a double-double with 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and a block.
• Hevelow and Eckhart scored six points each. Hevelow also grabbed six rebound
• The Dutchmen shot 40 percent for the game including an outstanding 58.33 percent in the third quarter.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will be off for the holiday break before opening conference play on January 3, 2024, at Stevens Institute of Technology. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Hoboken, New Jersey.

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