The Misericordia University women's basketball team improved to 3-2 with a 71-64 win over Gwynedd Mercy, Monday night on Doc Mould Court.

Alyssa Bondi led the Cougars with 23 points and Meaghan McCaffrey added 10 points.  Melina Santacroce had nine points and a team-high 16 rebounds and added eight points and 14 rebounds.

The Cougars came out hot for the second straight game as they shot 52.6% from the floor in the first quarter, including 4-8 from three-point range.

Down 8-2 early, MU responded with a 13-0 run to take a 15-8 lead.

Elizabeth Fasti hit a three-pointer from the right wing and Morgan Haefele followed with a three from the right corner to tie the score, 8-8.

McCaffrey put the Cougars in front with a foul-line jumper and Santacroce made it 13-8 with a three-pointer from in front of the Griffins bench.

McCaffrey's layup made it 15-8 midway through the opening quarter.

McCaffrey followed with two more layups to give MU a 22-10 lead.

The Griffins responded with an 11-0 run before Fasti buried a pull-up jumper from the left wing to end the first scoring with MU up, 24-21.

Skylar Bianchi made MU's only two field goals of the second quarter and the Cougars took a 30-25 lead into halftime.

Gwynedd Mercy pulled within 64-61 with less than two minutes to play, but the Cougars answered with six straight points to clinch the win.

MU will host Scranton, Monday.