SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Mercyhurst women's basketball team went toe-to-toe with the No. 24 team in the country the American International College Yellow Jackets.  Unfortunately, a three-pointer from Kyla Smith with 1.4 seconds left in overtime pushed the home side past the Lakers 69-66 on Saturday night at Henry A. Butova Gymnasium.  

The Lakers took the early lead just four-seconds in when Jayde Boyd scored right off the tap.  AIC responded with the next six points thanks to three different scorers.  The duo of Nicolette Arnold and Paige Woodford brought the visitors back on top with an 8-2 charge to lead 10-8 with three minutes gone.  The Yellow Jackets stormed back with an 11-2 run over a two-minute span with Emma McDermott providing the only Lakers bucket during that stretch.  AIC outscored the guests 5-3 the rest of the period to lead 23-15 after one. 
 
The two sides exchanged the opening eight points of the second which allowed the home team to maintain a 27-19 advantage.  Destine Perry would convert an "and one" opportunity to extend the margin to double-figures 30-19 with 7:35 to play.  Meghan Komendarek hit two at the foul line for the visitors at the 3:09 mark, but then the well ran dry for both sides over the next two minutes before Perry finished at the rim to make it 32-21.  Mercyhurst ended the half on a 6-1 runs with points coming from Emily Shopene, Arnold, Boyd and Komendarek to close within 33-27 at half. 
 
Mercyhurst relied on the foul line early in the third as Komendarek and Shopene scored three quick points making it 33-30.  After AIC notched five straight, before Shopene hit a jumper to spark an 11-6 push cutting the deficit to 44-41.  During the run Grace Centrulla and Boyd each buried a triple.  The Lakers continued to chip away and finally got all the way back as McDermott cashed in from long range to knot the score 45-45 with 3:30 left.  Two Komendarek foul shots gave the Green and Blue the edge 47-46, but Perry hit two of her own to give AIC the slim 48-47 lead through three.
 
Four different Lakers recorded points during a 7-3 run that was finished off by a Julia Buchman jumper over a 2:52 stretch to grab a 54-51 advantage.  AIC got back to even 1:49 later when Asia Turner stuck a jumper.  Komendarek and Turner exchanged layups to keep things level with 1:43 to go.  Shopene and Woodford each split a pair at the charity stripe which did not allow the Lakers to put the game away with the score just 58-56.  Kyla Smith finished off a tough runner in the lane to tie the game with 17-seconds to play.  A last-ditch effort from Shopene would not drop and the game headed to overtime.    
 
The Lakers began the extra session strong with Arnold and Boyd cashing in at the line for a 61-58 edge just 20-seconds in.  Perry and Smith responded for AIC with a 6-0 run to jump in front 64-61 with 1:21 to go.  Boyd tried to single-handedly get the visitors across the finish line scoring five straight to even things at 66-66.  Unfortunately, Smith would knock down a three from beyond NBA range to give the hosts the lead and a last-second shot from Boyd sailed long. 

Team Stat Pack
Field Goal % - Hurst, 30.2% (19-63) / AIC, 31.9% (23-72)
Three Point % - Hurst, 31.6% (6-19) / AIC, 33.3% (8-24)
Foul Shooting % - Hurst, 71% (22-31) / AIC, 71.4% (15-21)
Rebounds - Hurst, 50 / AIC, 50
Points in Paint - Hurst, 24 / AIC, 26 
Turnovers - Hurst, 13 / AIC, 10 
Blocks - Hurst, 3 / AIC, 5

Mercyhurst Individual Stats
Points - Boyd (19), Komendarek (15), Shopene and Woodford (7)
Rebounds - Komendarek and Shopene (10), Boyd (8), Centrulla (7)
Assists - Shopene (4), Komendarek (3), Buchman and Martin (2)

American International Individual Stats
Points - Perry and Smith (26)
Rebounds - McDuffie (10), Perry (7)

On Deck
The Lakers will have another crack at the No. 24 Yellow Jackets tomorrow afternoon at 12pm.