After leading for all but the first minute and a half of the opening period, the Misericordia University women's basketball team struggled throughout the second half, eventually falling to defending Freedom Conference champion DeSales, 64-56. 

With 12 turnovers and just six made field goals in the final period, the Cougars quickly squandered a seven-point halftime lead. 

A bright spot for MU was sophomore Christine Marks, who had a career-high 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting, while adding 10 rebounds. Classmate Jesse Robinson had 13 points and seven rebounds. 

Despite their 7-4 league record, the loss (coupled with a King's victory over Delaware Valley) actually drops the Cougars to fifth place under current head-to-head tie-breakers. MU is tied for third with the two aforementioned teams, and an upcoming home game with King's is beginning to look like a must-win for Misericordia's playoff hopes. 

Riding a 5-0 run before haltime, DeSales pushed that stretch to 9-0 before Marks stopped the MU slump with a put-back. 

Misericordia turned the ball over four times in the first 2:40 as DeSales rallied for a 37-35 lead, shocking a Cougars team that watched a double-digit advantage evaporate in just 3:51 of action. 

The Cougars trailed by two with 14:26 remaining in the game, but did not make another field goal until just 3:25 remained on the game clock. That basket, by freshman Tyann McDaniel, was the only MU field goal scored by anyone other than Marks for entire second half. 

Misericordia had jumped out to an early first half lead by converting their first five shots from the free throw line. A McDaniel three-pointer stretched the lead to 10-2, still in the first four minutes of the contest. 

The Cougars held their opponents to just six points in first 10:35 of action. Thanks in part to a pair of threes by Caitlin Sweeney (in just three minutes of first-half action), Misericordia was able to open up a 13-point gap midway through the period. 

Late in the half, DeSales went on a little 6-0 run to pull within six. Marks stopped the bleeding with a crucial three-pointer before a trey from Robinson restored a 12-point MU lead. 

Misericordia is now 13-9 overall and travels to FDU-Florham on Saturday before its massive showdown with King's next Tuesday.