EASTON, Pa. - Behind a career-high 25 points from sophomore Delaney Connolly, the Loyola University Maryland women's basketball team completed the season sweep of Lafayette Saturday afternoon, holding on for a 55-52 win at Kirby Sports Center.
 
In addition to Connolly's 25 points, freshman Taleah Dixon added nine points, while junior Stephanie Karcz finished with seven rebounds and five steals.
 
For Lafayette, Natalie Kucowski led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
 
The first quarter featured a pair of tied scores, including at the 3:12 mark when junior Alexis Gray knocked down a 3-pointer to pull the Greyhounds even, at 8-8. The Leopards wouldn't relinquish their lead, answering with their own triple, before junior Hannah Niles' jumper ended the quarter with Loyola down one, 11-10.
 
Niles flipped the lead back to the Greyhounds to start the second quarter, sparking a series of lead changes. Lafayette ultimately ended up pulling ahead four, 18-14, but junior Molly Taylor's triple brought Loyola within one, 18-17. The Leopards again answered with their own 3-pointer, but Dixon's 3-point play kept the deficit at one, 21-20. Connolly then connected from downtown to tie the game at 23 all, marking the third tie score of the game.
 
Connolly then halted the Leopards' four-point run and pulled Loyola within one at halftime, 27-26, knocking down her second-consecutive triple.
 
The Greyhounds struggled to find scoring early on in the second half, falling behind 10, at 37-27, before Niles and Connolly combined for five points, cutting the deficit to five, 37-32.
 
Lafayette stretched its lead back to seven, at 42-35, but Connolly went on a personal 11-4 run to even the game at 46 all with 6:42 to play in regulation. Loyola wouldn't be able to take the lead at that point, as the Leopards hit a jumper, but Taylor knocked down a triple on the Greyhounds' next possession to push them ahead, 49-48, for the first time since the second quarter.
 
The Leopards used free throws to regain the lead and then used a layup to move ahead 52-49. That's all the Greyhounds would allow though, as Connolly's jumper and then free throws from Dixon, Gray and Connolly were enough to help Loyola close out the game with the Greyhounds on top, 55-52.
 
Loyola will remain on the road and travel to Bucknell on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. tipoff.