DALLAS, Pa.– Eastern University Women's Basketball erased an eight-point halftime deficit to tie the game with eight minutes left, but the host Misericordia University Cougars outscored the Eagles 23-12 to close out the game for a 68-57 win. 

Eastern led 17-13 behind nine points from Regie Robinson. Emily Lavin scored the first six points for the Eagles. The Eagles attacked the basket and were 8-of-18 from the floor in the period. The second period, however, did not go as well. The host Cougars (13-6, 7-2 MAC Freedom) shot 44 percent from the floor and made all five of their free throw attempts. The Eagles, meanwhile, were only 2-of-13 from the floor. Misercordia held a 32-24 lead at the break.

The Eagles (13-7, 4-5 MAC Freedom) pushed back in the third, when they again made 8-of-18 from the floor. Robinson made her third basket of the period with five seconds remaining to close the gap to 43-41 with ten minutes to play. 

The teams traded baskets through the early part of the fourth quarter, and Taylor Price tied the game at 45 with a floater in transition.  The Cougars led 53-51 after Kayla Holmes made a layup in transition with three and half minutes to play. 

Rachel Carmody answered the Holmes basket with a 3-pointer from the corner. The Cougars were only 3-for-11 from 3-point range for the game, but the Carmody effort put the Eagles behind the scoreline. 

Robinson cut the deficit to 56-53 with a pair of free throws, but Carmody sparked a 6-0 Misericordia run with another baseline jump shot. 

Lavin finished a three-point play with a minute left, but the Eagles were unable to put a further dent in the Cougar lead. 

Lavin finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. With the two blocks, she moved into the top spot on Eastern's all-time block list with 350 for her career. 

The Eagles will host King's on Saturday.