WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. – The Mercyhurst University women's basketball team dropped their second contest in as many days at the West Liberty Conference Challenge against Notre Dame College Sunday afternoon, 74-67. Jessica Bell led all scorers with 20 points while teammates Natalie Piaggesi and Adrienne Kloecker each added 14.

Mercyhurst started off with a strong first quarter, jumping out to a nine point lead, 24-15. The Lakers scored eight points off of turnovers while the bench produced 11 of the 24 points. Bell would increase the Lakers' lead to 12, 27-15, with a pair of free-throws to begin the second period. Notre Dame, however, would chip away at the deficit, eventually pulling within one, 37-36, to conclude the first half. The Flacons finished the final three minutes of the second period on a 12-2 run.

The Lakers would continue to hold a lead throughout the third, leading by as many as nine with under four minutes to play. After a six point swing in favor of Notre Dame, Kloecker finished the third quarter with a jumper, to give Mercyhurst a five point advantage heading into the final period.

Junior guard Alex Artise would then drain one of her two three pointers of the afternoon to begin the fourth, increasing the lead to seven with 6:24 remaining. The Flacons would swing the momentum of the game in their favor from there, going on a 14-2 run to take their first lead of the game since early in the first period. A Piaggesi jumper with 1:02 to play brought the Lakers within two, 69-67, but Notre Dame held off any chances of a comeback as they went to win their first contest of the season.

The Lakers will be begin Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play Wednesday, November 18, at Indiana (Pa.). Tipoff is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.