The Moravian College women's basketball team failed to score in the first 7:26 of the game, but the Greyhounds were 21-for-22 at the foul line in the second half to rally from a nine-point deficit to defeat Susquehanna University, 73-69, in Landmark Conference action Friday evening in Johnston Hall.

Both teams struggled from the start with the Crusaders eventually scoring the opening points on a three-point play by senior guard Erika Barron at the 15:55 mark. Susquehanna led 5-0 before Moravian got on the scoreboard with a lay-up from sophomore guard Amanda Kreuder at the 12:34 mark. Susquehanna was one-for-ten from the floor to start the contest while the Greyhounds missed their first 11 shots.

Junior guard Hilary Murray tied the contest with a three-pointers at 10:28, and Moravian started an 11-0 run with a three-pointer from senior forward Amy Heffner at the 8:49 mark to take a 10-9 lead, the Greyhounds first of the game. Moravian pushed the lead to 18-9 on a lay-up from junior forward Alexandra Blairwith 4:27 to play before the intermission; however, Susquehanna would end the half with an 11-2 run to tie the game at 20-20 on a lay-up from sophomore guard/forward Shannon Grunwald at the halftime buzzer.

Both squads struggled to shoot the ball in the opening 20 minutes. Moravian was just seven-for-28 from the floor (25 percent), two-for-seven behind the three-point line and four-for-eight at the foul line. The Greyhounds, who had 11 first half turnovers, had a 28-26 edge in rebounds. Susquehanna was eight-for-37 from the field (21.6 percent), one-for-six on three-pointers and three-for-six at the foul line, and the Crusaders turned the ball over seven times in the first 20 minutes of the game.

Moravian, one of the top free throw shooting teams in the nation over the last ten years and the national record holder with a 35-for-35 performance against Susquehanna back in 2003, used the foul line to its advantage in the second half to earn its third straight Landmark Conference win.

Murray started the second half scoring for the Greyhounds with a jumper on the first possession, and Moravian led 27-22 after a three-point play by Heffner with 16:55 on the clock. Blair had Moravian ahead 33-30 after a lay-up at 14:30 but Susquehanna answered with a 12-0 run that included a pair of free throws on a technical foul on the Moravian bench to take a 42-33 lead on a three-point play from senior guard Rachel Hughes just over two minutes later.

Hughes pushed the lead back to nine at 47-38 with 10:48 remaining on a three-pointer, and Susquehanna led 52-45 on a jumper by freshman forward Amarra Boone at 9:08. However, Moravian put together a 13-0 run to take a 58-52 lead on a jumper in the lane from Blair with 6:06 remaining in the contest. Susquehanna pulled within a point, 62-61 on a three-pointer from Barron with 4:09 to go but the Greyhounds went six-for-seven at the foul line in the final 3:23 to seal the victory.

The shooting for both teams improved in the second half with Moravian going 15-for-34 from the floor (44.1 percent), two-for-eight on three-pointers and 21-for-22 at the foul line. The Greyhounds had a 50-44 advantage in rebounds while committing 14 turnovers in the game. Susquehanna made 19-of-38 second half field goal attempts (50 percent) and five-of-11 three-pointers, but the Crusaders were just six-for-ten at the foul line while making 12 turnovers in the game.

The Greyhounds had four players in double figures led by Heffner with a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds. Kreuder tossed in a career high 13 points while going eight-for-eight at the foul line while Blair and senior guard/forward Emily Smith each tossed in ten points. Blair contributed eight rebounds and four blocked shots for Moravian while Smith had five boards and four assists. Freshman center Laura Jordan finished with eight points and three rebounds while Murray contributed seven points, six assists and four rebounds for the Greyhounds.

Sophomore forward Gina Palazzi led Susquehanna with a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds while Hughes tossed in 14 points and added five rebounds and four assists. Barron contributed 13 points, five assists, four boards and three steals while senior forward/center Samantha Cartwright had 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Grunwald finished with five points.