(Dallas, Pa.) – The Dickinson women's basketball team went right down to the wire at Misericordia on Wednesday night, but the host Cougars would hold on in the end for a 60-52 win.

The Cougars jumped out to a 13-3 lead after quick start by the Red Devils. Kate Deutsch (Marlton, N.J./Camden Catholic) hit back-to-back field-goals to cut the deficit to 13-7 with three minutes to play in the quarter.

The first period ended with the hosts holding a 15-10 advantage behind an eight-point effort from Deutsch with Claudia Maira (Clinton, N.J./North Hunterdon) and first-year Maura Leverone (Herndon, Va./Bishop O'Connell) each handing out a pair of assists.

Leverone went baseline and scored to open the second quarter and classmate Kate Montgomery (Scituate, Mass./Scituate) hit a nice jumper from the base line as the teams traded baskets to make the score 20-16 with five minutes to play in the half.

Montgomery banged a three-pointer from the top of the arc to pull the Devils within one before Erica Haefele countered with a three-pointer.

The Cougars took a 29-26 lead into the break on a three-pointer from Tessa Zamolyi.

Deutsch went right to the rim to start the second half to quickly cut the deficit to one. Halle Maeda (Santa Monica, Calif./Mira Costa) and Emily Padalino (West Sand Lake, N.Y./Albany Academy) knocked down three-pointers to counter the Cougars and keep the game even at 34-34.

Gabby Sevrain (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern) knocked down a corner jumper to put Dickinson up by a field-goal at the three-minute mark of the third quarter and Leverone went coast-to-coast to put the Devils up by four.

Padalino buried a three-pointer with just over three minutes to play, putting the Red Devils up by four.

The Red Devils built the lead to 51-48 but Haefele would hit a pair of three-pointers to put the Cougars in front, 54-51, with less than two minutes to play. Misericordia would survive at the line for 60-52 final.

Deutsch led the Red Devils with 16 points and seven rebounds. Padalino hit 4-for-7 shots for 10 points with two three-pointers and five rebounds.

Leverone tallied seven points, four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals while Montgomery finished with eight rebounds, six points and three assists and Maira added three assists, two rebounds and two steals.

The Red Devils slip to 0-2 on the season. They return home to face York College on Tuesday night at 7:00 pm.