The Albright College women's basketball team erased a second straight double-digit deficit, but couldn't hold on in the extra period of a 66-64 loss at Arcadia.
For the second straight game, Amanda Tiritilli helped Albright eliminate a late deficit from behind the arc. It was nearly déjà vu as Shannon Thomas drove for the potential winner, but couldn't replicate her deciding basket vs. Widener on Saturday.
Tiritilli finished with nine points on three triples. Senior Meghan Boyle had 10 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks, while Thomas added a team-high 11 points and three steals.
A long Tiritilli three-pointer made it 54-49 Arcadia with just over three minutes to play, and Thomas was good from behind the arc to cut the gap to 55-52.
Tiritilli had an open three soon after to tie that went off the front rim. With 27 seconds remaining, the junior got a pick and banked in a step-back triple to tie the contest at 57-57. Kadijah Bishop became the third Lion to foul out in the game, but Victoria Mazzeo missed both free throws before Thomas' drive for the win rolled out.
Senior Kristi McFadden had gotten the Lions back into the game with three straight baskets in just over a minute. She hit a tough runner to cut Albright's deficit to 38-32, and then missed the and-one after scoring the next time down the floor. McFadden came right back down and swished a baseline shot from a tough angle to make it 39-36 Arcadia.
Emily O'Donnell kicked off the overtime period with a three-point play to put Albright ahead 60-57. O'Donnell nearly scored again, but the Lions turned it over and Arcadia transitioned for an easy two.
Senior Shawn Barczynski tied the game at 61-all with one free throw in the final minute, before Samantha Caligiuri slipped open for a jumper. Down by four points late, Tiritilli sank one three but couldn't get off another good look at the buzzer.
Arcadia shot 69.2% over the first 13 minutes of the game. Mazzeo found Rachel Jacob with a nice bounce pass to make it 22-13 with 7:06 remaining, forcing Albright to call timeout.
Boyle and Jessica Venturelli blocked shots in the opening 2+ minutes and took a 4-2 lead on Boyle's post-up. Valerie DiMuro restored an Arcadia advantage with baskets on consecutive trips down the floor.
Arcadia's Caligiuri drained three-pointers from each corner, but McFadden answered from behind the arc to keep the Lions close at 16-13 down.
Venturelli's three-point play made it 26-20 Arcadia with 2:19 remaining in the first half. Dominique Hassinger beat the buzzer with a triple as the Knights took a 31-22 lead into the break. Arcadia post players DiMuro and Jacob were a combined 8-of-10 for 20 points in the opening period.
Boyle had a put-back early in the second half, but Albright's Kelecia Harris picked up her fourth foul with exactly 18 minutes still to play. DiMuro posted up to give Arcadia its largest lead of the game, 36-24.
Thomas stole a pass and went the other way to cut the deficit to 10, and Bishop's put-back made it 37-28. Barczynski banked one in as the Lions crept closer to 37-30.
Albright could get no closer in the ensuing minutes after McFadden's run. O'Donnell posted up to keep it close at 48-44; the Knights opened back up a 52-44 lead however. Harris re-entered and was whistled for a fifth foul on her first possession.
DiMuro finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Caligiuri added 17 points for the Knights.
Albright falls to 11-7, 5-6 and will travel to Messiah on Saturday. The Lions remain tied with Widener for the final Commonwealth playoff spot.