The Misericordia women's basketball team lost in heartbreaking fashion to DeSales, 84-81 in double overtime, Wednesday evening in front of a raucous crowd at Anderson Center.

Shannon Croasdale had a career-high 20 points and four rebounds. Jaclyn Hajec had 18 points off the bench while Justine Seely had 16 points and 15 rebounds. Rachel Carmody added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Japriya Carroll had seven points while Leanne Forsyth did a bit of everything with five points, three rebounds, five assists and four steals.

MU had a chance to tie at the end of the second overtime as Forsyth took a deep three several feet beyond the three point line, but it was off the mark.

The first half saw the Bulldogs storm out to a 33-13 lead over the first quarter and half of action as they pressured the Cougars to create fast break opportunities. The Cougars started to find their rhythem as they closed the second quarter on an 11-4 run. Carroll nailed two foul shots, Lena Williams set up a Paige Wampole layup and a Hajec three from the top of the arc. DeSales scored on back to back layups before Hajec sunk a pair of free throws as MU went into the half down 37-22.

Croasdale got the second half started for MU with a difficult layup in the paint. After a DeSales miss, Carmody grabbed the rebound and tossed it ahead to Carroll. Carroll gave it back to her at left elbow and Carmody drained the midrange jumper. After stopping DeSales again, Croasdale found Carmody in the left corner and she drained a three to make it 37-29 with 8:40 to go in the third.

The teams traded buckets over the next few minutes as DeSales would not let MU get closer than eight, and a jumper from the right wing pushed their lead back to 10 with 2:41 to go in the quarter.

MU wouldn't go away as two free throws by Forsyth and a Croasdale three from the top of the arc cut the deficit to five at 47-42. Seely split a pair of free throws and Hajec made two of three foul shots after being fouled behind the arc. That cut the DeSales lead to five, 50-45, at the end of the third.

Croasdale came out firing to start the fourth as she outscored DeSales herself, 11-8, over the first four minutes. She scored in the paint, drilled two threes from the left corner and then another from the top of the key to make it 58-56.

A minute later, Carroll sank two free throws and with five minutes remaining, the score was tied for the first time, 58-58.

The score remained locked at 58 for the next two minutes as both teams ramped up their defense.

Seely drew a foul, went to the line and made two free throws with three minutes left in regulation as Misericordia took their first lead of the game, 60-58.

DeSales scored inside and made a three to retake the lead at 63-60 with a minute to go.

Croasdale brought the ball up and tossed it to Seely in the post. Seely spun baseline and found Carmody, who took one dribble and banked it in to make it 63-62 with 44 seconds remaining. DeSales split a pair of foul shots, so MU had the ball down 64-62 with 30 seconds on the clock.

After the timeout, the Cougars first attempt was blocked out of bounds.

Taking the ball out from underneath the basket, Forsyth found Seely coming open off a Hajec pick on the left block. Seely laid the ball in off the glass to tie it at 64 with eight seconds up on the clock. DeSales missed two layups in the final seconds so the game went into overtime.

After winning the jump ball to start the overtime period, Seely caught the ball inside, spun past her defender and tried to lay it in. She missed, grabbed her own rebound and laid it while being fouled. She drained the foul shot to give the Cougars a 67-64 lead.

The Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run over the next three minutes, and were ahead 70-67 with a little under a minute left. Seely scored after rebounding her own miss again with 56 seconds left to make it 70-69 and DeSales took a timeout.

After Misericordia got a stop, Carmody drew a foul and split two free throws to tie it at 70. DeSales had the ball with 14 seconds left, but again the Cougar defense prevented them from scoring, so double overtime was needed.

The Bulldogs jumped on the Cougars to start, as they went on a 11-2 run in the opening four minutes to take a 81-72 lead into the final minute.

The Cougars however, made that final minute interesting.

Hajec swung the ball to Carroll in the left corner for a three to make it 81-75. DeSales tried to inbound the ball, but the Cougars forced a turnover as DeSales dribbled the ball out of bounds.

MU got the ball back looking for another three.

Forsyth dribbled into the paint and then started to pull it out before she found Hajec on the right wing. Hajec drained the three to make it 81-78 with 39 seconds left and DeSales took a timeout.

The Cougars fouled, and DeSales split a pair of foul shots to make it 82-78.

Hajec grabbed the rebound off the miss and tossed it to Forsyth with 12 seconds to go. Forsyth came up the court and gave it back to a trailing Hajec who was two steps behind the three point line. Hajec gathered and hit nothing but net to make it 82-81 with seven ticks on the clock.

The Cougars fouled and DeSales made both free throws before MU missed their final chance to tie.

The Cougars are now 18-8.