EMMITSBURG, Md. (February 10, 2022) – In an up-and-down affair with several scoring runs, Mount St. Mary's had to use its defense to stand tall and pull off a victory. The game came down to the final shot, but Wagner's winning attempt fell short as the Mount exhaled with a 53-51 decision at Knott Arena Thursday.
 
The victory places Mount St. Mary's (10-10, 8-5 NEC) in sole possession of third place. Wagner (13-9, 7-6 NEC) drops to fourth.
 
Three Mountaineers posted double figures, led by Kendall Bresee with 12 points. The graduate student also added eight rebounds and game highs in assists and blocks with a respective four and three. Kayla Agentowicz finished with 11 in a 4-of-9 effort from the floor. For the guard, tonight's performance marks the first time she earned three straight double-digit outings since November 2017. Arnya Taylor came off the bench to earn 10 points and a season-high three steals.
 
Isabella Hunt led all rebounders with 10, falling one point shy of a double-double with nine points. Jada Lee was electric on defense, swiping four steals for a new career high.
 
A blazing 6-for-7 start for the visitors plus staunch Seahawks defense started the game on a 14-2 run, forcing a Mountaineers timeout at the 5:42 mark. Mount St. Mary's countered to pull within four at 19-15, but Wagner retorted to lead by 10 after one.
 
Agentowicz and Hunt then led a steamrolling charge, stunning Wagner right back with a 12-0 run lasting three minutes. Foul shots by the guard at 5:02 mark overturned the 12-point deficit into a two point Mount lead. The shocked Seahawks could not muster any offense but did hold their own of defense. Bresee broke an almost five minute drought with a hook shot. The Mount had the chance to make one last stop to induce a rare quarter-long shutout of Wagner, but Emilija Krista Grava hit a trey at the buzzer to make the score 29-28 Mount at the half.
 
Krista Grava tried to spark her team at the beginning of the third quarter, reverting the advantage back to her side for a brief period. Agentowicz silenced their hopes again, inspiring a miniature run to squash the momentum. After the media timeout, the Mount spotted a weakness in the Seahawk defense – the corner three. Beginning with Taylor, the home side repeatedly exploited the spot. Jasmine Lindsay-Huskey followed to allow the Mountaineers to go up double digits.
 
Cushioned with a nine point lead entering the fourth, Mount St. Mary's attempted to finish off the game. But four missed shots and a turnover yielded an opportunity for Wagner, and they managed to bridge the gap to four on an and-one from Alex Cowan. Breathing room came in the shooter's touch of Jessica Tomasetti – a triple from the corner – to push the Mount's leverage back up to seven.
 
Hunt registered a free throw and layup to make the score 53-47 with 1:56 to go, but the Mountaineers would not see a ball go through the bottom of the net again. Zhaneia Thybulle's floater brought the game within four on the next trip down the court. Mount turned to Bresee for a layup that came up short, but then the team crashed the offensive glass. They would earn three more chances, and while missing all of them, they managed to work over a minute off the clock.
 
Alex Cowan had to work quick when Wagner finally got the ball and did so – a driving layup with 43 seconds remaining. The Mount missed and the Seahawks earned the right to the last possession. Thybulle raced into the lane, but Bresee met her with a towering block. With three ticks left on the scoreboard, Wagner found Lina Loceneice at the wing for a potential game-winning three. It clanked off the front of the rim and floated harmless to the floor, triggering jubilance among the fans in Emmitsburg.   
 
Mount St. Mary's travels to Brooklyn, N.Y. for games against St. Francis Brooklyn (Feb. 17) and Long Island (Feb. 19). The game against the Terriers can help either side tighten their grip towards a runner-up finish in the NEC.