St. Mary's City, Md. – Despite a season-best 18 points from both junior center Nina Haller (Chevy Chase, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) and first-year forward Kobe Chaney (Annapolis, Md./South River), the St. Mary's College of Maryland women's basketball team (3-3) dropped a 66-59 non-conference decision to The Catholic University of America (3-4).

The Seahawks found themselves down 16 with 8:53 left in regulation following a layup by junior guard Bridget Power (Newtown, Conn./Newtown). Haller would go on to spark an 11-0 run, scoring nine straight points as she went 7-for-7 at the free throw line. The run helped St. Mary's close the gap to 55-50 at 5:35.

Catholic was able to build its lead back up to 10 at 1:27 with a 9-4 run but St. Mary's used a 5-for-6 effort at the line to work it back down to five with 12.9 ticks on the clock.

Haller finished the night 10-for-11 at the charity stripe and grabbed her fourth double-double on a game-best 11 rebounds, sharing rebounding honors with Chaney. With her 11 boards, Chaney collected her second consecutive double-double.

Sophomore guard Kerri Kline (Hagerstown, Md./Saint James) also scored in double-digits with 12 while fellow classmate Olivia Nowlin (Glenelg, Md./Glenelg) notched game-highs of five assists and five steals to go along with six points and three caroms.

The Cardinals owned a 36-30 advantage at halftime behind 12 points from junior forward Melissa Errico (Harrington Park, N.J./Old Tappan). CUA turned around a six-point deficit in the first quarter with a 16-5 run to post a 19-14 lead at the end of one. Catholic edged the Seahawks, 17-16, in the second period for the six-point advantage at intermission.

Chaney tallied 12 in the half as well to pace St. Mary's during the first 20 minutes. The Cardinals shot 45.7% from the field in the first half while limiting the Seahawks to 33.3%, including 2-of-16 from downtown.

Catholic outscored the Seahawks, 15-7, in the third stanza as CUA outplayed St. Mary's, 10-2, in the paint.

Errico ended the night with 18 points while senior forward Josephine Migash (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) contributed 14 off the bench. Junior guard Michelle DeSantis (Trumbull, Conn./Lauralton Hall) chipped in 13 while sophomore guard Payton Smith (Spring Lake Heights, N.J./St. Rose) lent 10 as a reserve too.

The Seahawks will be back in action this Saturday, December 12 at 2:00 p.m. as St. Mary's travels to Winchester, Virginia to take on Shenandoah University. 

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