Box Score

ASTON, Pa. – Chrissy Esbensen scored a game-high 22 points, but Immaculata University was unable to overtake Neumann University in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) women's basketball action at The Mirenda Center Monday night.
 
Esbensen concluded her 22 point night with a 3-pointer with 1:23 left in the game to cut Neumann's lead to three (63-60), but that was as close as the visitors would get down the stretch.
 
Neumann (8-10, 6-3 CSAC) hit a jumper and went 3-for-3 from the foul line over the next 70 seconds to bulge the lead back to eight, 68-60, and salt the game away. The Knights held a 63-52 advantage with 3:22 left in the contest. However, the hosts were held scoreless over the next 2:17 while Immaculata (6-11, 4-4 CSAC) went on an 8-0 run, culminating in Esbensen's three, to climb back into the tilt.
 
Esbensen added five rebounds, three assists and two steals to her 22 points. Adriana Sciascia finished with 13 points, six rebounds, six steals and two assists. Sara Smith was the third Mighty Mac in double figures with 12 points. Brittany Merkle paced the squad on the glass with seven rebounds and seven points.
 
After a back-and-forth affair during the opening five minutes of the contest which resulted in an 8-8 tie at the 15:02 mark, both teams cooled off from the field. Neither the Knights nor Mighty Macs scored a basket for a five-minute stretch, until Neumann hit a jumper with 10:17 remaining in the first half.
 
Immaculata responded with a layup from Mackie Fitzgerald on its next trip down the court to even the contest at 10-10. Neumann then went on an 8-0 spurt in just less than two minutes to take an 18-10 lead with 8:23 to play in the half.
 
The Mighty Macs cuts their deficit back to four (18-14) after four points from Smith with just over seven minutes remaining in the stanza. However, the Knights opened up their largest lead of the first half, 24-14, with 5:43 left in the half. Immaculata was able to cut Neumann's lead back to five (26-21) by halftime on a 7-2 run during the final 4:37 of the opening stanza.
 
Immaculata came within one (30-29) of Neumann just three minutes into the second half, but a 7-0 run by the Knights put the hosts back on top by eight. Neumann held its largest lead of the contest (11) at the midway point of the second half and with 3:22 remaining.  
 
Neumann was led by JoHanna Metzger with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Immaculata returns home for a two-game stretch on Wednesday, Jan. 23, hosting CSAC leader Cabrini at 6 p.m.