ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst women's basketball team fell in 68-66 to Slippery Rock in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action on Wednesday in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
 
Amber Renz led Mercyhurst (9-14, 7-10 PSAC) with 19 points. Eliza Oswalt contributed 17 points. Emilee Norris and Lauren Lapertosa led rebounds with six apiece.
 
Brooke Hinderliter led Slippery Rock (11-12, 9-9 PSAC) with 18 points and eight rebounds. LeeAnn Gibson added 10 points.
 
Slippery Rock took the lead off the initial basket and never trailed, stretching their lead to as high as 44-27 at its height with 6:20 left in the third quarter.
 
Mercyhurst chipped away at Slippery Rock's lead, trailing 36-25 at the start of the second half to bring the action within nine (51-42) at the start of the fourth quarter.
 
The Lakers scored a game-high of 24 points in the fourth but were unable to recapture the lead. Mercyhurst trailed by two points twice in the final quarter -- the first time off of a three-pointer from Renz, bringing MU within 57-55. Oswalt scored the final points of the game, burying a three-pointer with four seconds on the clock.
 
Mercyhurst held an edge at the glass pulling down 40 rebounds to the 35 boards grabbed by The Rock. The Lakers also led bench points 40-19, points off turnovers 15-8, and second chance points 14-10.
 
The Lakers shot 20-of -63 (31.7%) from the field, made 7-fo-24 (29.3%) from beyond the arc, and 19-of-21 (90.5%) from the charity line. Slippery Rock converted 26-of-57 (46.5%) attempts from inside the arc, 8-17 (47.1%) from three point land, and 8-of-12 (66.7%) from the free throw line.
 
Mercyhurst will play next when they travel to Greensburg on Saturday to compete against Seton Hill in PSAC action at 1:00 pm.