Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Moravian College captured the 13th Annual Roosevelt's Moravian Winter Classic Saturday afternoon defeating Immaculata University, 63-46, in the championship game of the women's basketball tournament. Brittany Merkle represented the Mighty Macs on the all-tournament team.

Merkle scored a team-high 13 points for Immaculata, while adding five rebounds. Sara Smith registered nine points and led the Mighty Macs with eight rebounds. Alison Zimny chipped in eight points, four rebounds and two steals, while Mackie Fiztgerald recorded five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

The Mighty Macs (7-3) held the early lead as Adriana Sciascia and Merkle started the game with baskets for a 4-0 edge. The Greyhounds took their first lead at the 16:27 mark, and the game see-sawed back-and-forth for the next eight minutes.

After five lead changes and neither team leading by any more than two points, Moravian connected on two free throws to tie the score at 13-13 with 8:46 to play in the first half. It started an eight-point run for the Greyhounds, who were ahead 19-13 with 7:31 left in the opening half.

A layup by Christie Orgera with 5:05 to play trimmed Moravian's lead to just two (24-22). However, the Greyhounds ended the final five minutes of the half on an 11-4 run to lead by their largest margin of the half at the break, 35-26.

Moravian (10-2) started the second half with the hot hand as it went up by 16 points (42-26) during the first three minutes. The Greyhounds took their largest lead of the contest, 52-30, with 12:25 to play in the game.

The next seven minutes saw the Mighty Macs make an 11-2 run to get back within 13 points. Zimny, who had five points during the spurt, connected on a trey with 5:27 remaining to get Immaculata within 54-41. Merkle and Smith each had three points in the run. The Mighty Macs were still within 13 points with 3:25 left but were not able to trim the Greyhounds lead any further.

Immaculata returns to Colonial States Athletic Conference play on Wednesday evening, January 8, hosting Notre Dame of Maryland University at 6 p.m.