Despite leading eighth-ranked Lebanon Valley for 36 minutes, the Misericordia University women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 57-54 loss, Tuesday night at the Anderson Center.

Christine Marks led the Cougars with 15 points while Jesse Robinson added 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. 

Hannah Seely also had 12 points for the Cougars and Tyann McDaniel added nine.

Misericordia controlled the first 30 minutes en route to a 47-33 lead with 9:15 to play, but LVC responded with a 14-0 run to forge a 47-47 tie with 5:13 to play.

Seely scored four straight points to put MU back in front, 53-49, but the Dutchwomen answered with a 6-0 spurt to take their first lead, 55-53, with 1:25 to play.

After Robinson made a free throw to get MU within 55-54, LVC ran the clock down before a driving layup put them ahead 57-54 with 14 seconds to play.

The Cougars' game-tying three-point attempt at the buzzer was off the mark.

Misericordia jumped out to a 5-0 lead on McDaniel's three-pointer and the Cougars maintained a quick pace from the opening tip.

Robinson took a nice pass from McDaniel and converted a three-point play for a 14-6 lead just six minutes into the game.

Kayla Sileo's turnaround jumper made it 16-8 and Robinson's driving layup gave MU a 20-13 lead.

McDaniel popped open for a three-pointer and Seely's short jumper put the Cougars ahead 27-17 with 3:17 remaining in the first half.

Lebanon Valley scored five straight points and neither team scored over the final two minutes of the half as the Cougars took a 27-22 lead into intermission.

McDaniel and Marks buried three-pointers to open the second half as MU went ahead 33-24 with 18:04 to go.

Marks added two free throws and got a shooter's roll on a pull-up jumper to give MU a 45-33 lead with 10:03 left.

Robinson sank two free throws for a 57-33 lead with 9:15 remaining before Lebanon Valley rallied to improve to 7-0.

The Cougars are 3-4 and will visit Baptist Bible, Thursday.