BALTIMORE - Junior Stephanie Karcz led all players with 18 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and two blocks, but the Loyola University Maryland women's basketball team would be unable to overcome a late first-half run by Holy Cross, as the Crusaders held off the Greyhounds for a 58-48 victory in the program's Play4Kay Pink Game Saturday at Reitz Arena.
 
In addition to Karcz's double-double, senior Bri Betz-White contributed 11 points for the Greyhounds.
 
Madalyn Smith led Holy Cross with 15 points, while Lauren Manis shared game-high honors in rebounds, grabbing 11.
 
The Greyhounds used an early 10-0 run to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 15-7 advantage. The Crusaders halted the streak, but Karcz ended the first quarter with a jumper to bring the score to 17-9.
 
Holy Cross cut Loyola's lead to three, 19-16, but Betz-White's and-1 conversion stretched Loyola's lead back to six, 22-16, at the 6:23 mark of the second quarter. The Greyhounds would go cold after that though, as Holy Cross ended the half on a 14-0 run to pull ahead 30-22.
 
Loyola opened the second half on a 6-0 run to cut its deficit to two, 30-28, but the Crusaders wouldn't allow the Greyhounds to tie it as they stretched their lead back to 11, at 39-28.
 
Back-to-back baskets from Karcz pulled Loyola within seven, 39-32, but that would be as close as the Greyhounds would get, as the Crusaders stretched their lead back to double digits, en route to their 58-48 victory.
 
Loyola will return to action on Wednesday when it hosts American at 6 p.m.