GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. – Sophomore Natasha Matthews scored 18 of her game-high 20 points in the second half as Gwynedd-Mercy was able to get past Immaculata, 63-54, Wednesday night in CSAC action at the Griffin Complex.

Matthews also pulled down 10 rebounds as she was one of two Griffins with a double-double. Sophomore Shea Wassel netted 13 points and grabbed a game-high 16 boards.

Gwynedd (13-7, 9-2 CSAC) got off to a rough start, making just 3-for-17 shooting from the floor in the game's first eight minutes, but a stingy defense kept the score a one-possession contest. Later in the stanza with GM up 17-16, the Griffins would force five-straight IU turnovers to slowly build their lead to a much as eight. The Griffins held Immaculata to 25% shooting in the first 20 minutes and would take a 26-18 edge into the break.

Things looked to get off to a good start in the second, as Matthews scored 10 of the team's next 12 points as part of a 12-2 run. Her bucket underneath gave GM their largest lead of the game (38-20) with 15 minutes to go.

However, over the next five-plus minutes, the Mighty Macs countered with a spurt of their own, a 21-6 jaunt, capped by a three-pointer from Chrissy Esbensen to pull IU within three (44-41) with just over nine minutes remaining. Junior Nicole Dougherty would hit a big three-pointer with a 1:32 left to reclaim a double-digit lead.

Esbensen (10 points) was one of three Immaculata players in double figures. Teammate Sara Smith led IU (7-13, 5-6 CSAC) with 16 points.

Dougherty finished with seven points and dished out a personal-best eight assists. Wassel had two of the team's four blocks. The team would finish shooting at a 35.7% (25-of-70) clip. IU was 19-of-57 (33.3%).