BALTIMORE, Md. (December 4, 2021) – Mount St. Mary's women's basketball battled to the final seconds Saturday in the renewal of the Catholic Clash versus Loyola. But it was the Greyhounds emerging with the victory as Bri Rozzi put home a jumper with 11 seconds left to hand the Mount a 56-55 defeat.
 
Coming off the bench for the first time since January 2020, Kayla Agentowicz delivered a season high 10 points, going 4-for-7 from the field. Isabella Hunt drew multiple trips to the charity stripe and was a force inside to put together 10 points and eight rebounds.           
 
Aside from a 3-3 tie in the opening moments, the Mount (1-6) trailed throughout the first half. While the premier shooters had trouble finding their rhythms, gutsy efforts from Agentowicz and Jasmine Lindsay-Huskey combined with stellar defense kept the game close. A desperate heave from Aryna Taylor found the bottom of the net at the halftime horn. Loyola (3-5) took a 24-20 advantage to the break.
 
After Loyola drilled a trey to open second half proceedings, Mount surged ahead with an 8-0 run. A floater by Hunt with 7:32 left in the third quarter put the visitors up 28-27. They put together 24 in the quarter, led by Hunt's seven points and a pair of triples by Michaela Harrison.
 
The seven point advantage at the opening of the final period would be the largest lead Mount St. Mary's would hold. Loyola used a 6-0 run to pull within a point across the first two minutes of action. Mount held on for a time until a Greyhounds jumper at the 5:56 mark put them ahead. The lead bounced around until Kendall Bresee managed to knot the game at 49 all with a free throw.
 
Momentum shifted inside of four minutes on an and-one from Lex Therien to get the home side back on top. The advantage extended as high as five until the Mount fought back as Jessica Tomasetti drilled a three with 45 seconds to go. Tough defense by the Mountaineers forced a wild three-point attempt, and Hunt drew a foul on the ensuing rebound. The sophomore drilled her free throws to give the Mount a 55-54 lead.
 
Needing one stop, the Mount protected the inside and forced Loyola to try from mid-range. That's where Rozzi found some space, which was just enough to get an open look which she converted. Hoping for a buzzer-beater, the Mount turned to Bresee who drove her way to the hoop. The Greyhounds were there to force a contested shot, and with the whistles silent indicating no foul, Loyola scooped up the rebound to secure their win.
                                         
For the Greyhounds, three players reached double figures, led by Taleah Dixon with a season-high 23 points. Loyola snapped a three-game slide coming into the contest, as well as a three-game slide in the rivalry.  
 
Mount St. Mary's travels to Ohio State Tuesday (Dec. 7). Tip-off is at 7 p.m. from Columbus.