Box Score Junior Caitlin Kessler knocked down the game-winning jumper with just nine seconds left in the second half as the Misericordia University women's basketball team pulled out a hard-fought 59-58 victory at Lycoming Tuesday evening.
 
Kayla Sileo led the way with 14 points and six rebounds as the Cougars improved to 3-0 for the first time since the 1989-90 season.
 
The Warriors (0-3) jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead just 75 seconds into the game, prompting MU coach Allison Kern to use a timeout. The Cougars responded, as Sileo hit a jumper right away and, following a three-minute drought by both teams, Tyann McDaniel hit a three-pointer to close the gap to 6-5.
 
Lycoming would extend their lead back to 12-5 following a pair of Taylor Ford free throws at the 14:10 mark, but the Cougars countered with a pair of Lauren Smicherko layups and

back-to-back threes by Sileo to take a 15-12 lead with 10:50 remaining.
 
The teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the half, as the game saw three ties and three lead changes. However, the Warriors closed the half on a 7-0 run, capped by a Ford three-pointer with eight seconds remaining to give Lycoming a 33-26 halftime lead.
 
Sileo led the Cougars with nine points in the first half, while Ford also had nine for Lycoming. The Cougars shot just 31 percent in the first half compared to 37 percent by the Warriors. Lycoming was also a perfect 6-6 from the foul line.
 
Both teams got off to a sluggish start in the second half, with neither team scoring for the first two minutes. However, a Sileo jumper sparked a 9-0 scoring run as MU regained the lead at 35-34 on a pair of Kessler free throws with 13:50 remaining.
 
Lycoming regained the lead on back-to-back jumpers by Shannon Wheeler and later used a 10-2 run capped by a Ford layup with 9:51 remaining to take a 49-41 lead- their largest of the game.
 
The Cougars answered once again, as jumpers by Kessler and Katie Drayton closed the gap to 49-45. Following a Wheeler layup, Tyann McDaniel netted a pair of free throws and Drayton stole the ball and laid it in to make it a 51-49 game with 4:52 remaining.
 
Sileo countered a Kat Adriani layup with her third three-pointer of the game, and Hannah Seely followed up with a jumper to give the Cougars their first lead of the second half at 54-53.
 
Lycoming took the lead back on a pair of Shanley Harlacker free throws, but Tyann McDaniel answered with a huge three-pointer to give the Cougars a 57-55 lead.
 
Adriani converted a three-point play with just 21 seconds remaining to give Lycoming a 58-57 lead, prompting Kern to take a timeout and set up Kessler's game-winner. The Warriors had a pair of shot attempts in the final seconds but couldn't convert, giving MU the victory.
 
Along with Sileo's 14, Kessler posted 11 points on the night, while McDaniel filled the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Seely also recorded a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Wheeler led the way for the Warriors with 12 points and a game-high eight assists, while Ford added 11 points.

The Cougars held Lycoming to just 34 percent shooting for the game, including 11 percent from three point range, and forced 23 Warrior turnovers.
 
MU has a week off before returning to action against local rival Wilkes in the Cougars' home and Freedom conference opener Wednesday night at 6:00 PM.