The back and forth game featured seven ties and 15 lead changes with neither team leading by more than six points until the final minute of the game. The host Highlanders (5-5) got off to a quick start as Houghton took a 10-4 lead with just over five minutes gone by as Becky Kallal and Cassie Merrill each nailed a three-pointer and Stephanie Hudson and Ashley Dupler each made a basket.

With the Highlanders still leading 21-17 with 4:32 left in the half, MVNU (11-2) used a 9-2 run to close the half as the Lady Cougars took a 26-23 lead at the break. Freshman wing Kelli Pollock and freshman post Amanda Himes both scored four points to fuel the surge.

Junior guard Ashley Brown (left) paced MVNU with eight first-half points off the bench as she went 3-for-3 from the field with a pair of three-pointers as she played in just her second game of the season after missing the previous 11 contests with an injury. Himes added six points, while Pollock and junior center Melissa Mastrodonato scored four points each. The Lady Cougars shot 39.3 percent from the field (11-for-28), 33.3 percent from three-point range (3-for-9), and 50.0 percent from the free throw line (1-for-2).

Dupler led Houghton with eight first-half points, while Merrill scored six points. The Highlanders posted a 20-16 rebounding advantage, but Houghton also committed 12 turnovers. The Highlanders shot 37.0 percent from the field (10-for-27), 30.0 percent from three-point range (3-for-10), and missed both of their free throw attempts.

A three-pointer by Pollock at the 18:31 mark extended MVNU’s lead to 31-25, but Houghton answered with a 15-5 run to take a 40-36 advantage with 11:20 left in the game. Dupler scored five points, and Kallal and Hudson both nailed a three-pointer.

The game went back and forth over the next seven minutes with the score knotted at 48-48 with 4:03 still on the clock. Then, the Lady Cougars closed the game on a 13-5 run to post the 61-53 victory as MVNU went 9-for-10 at the free throw line to seal the win with Himes going 6-for-6 and also adding a layup.

Himes (right) led the Lady Cougars with a game-high 19 points off the bench to go with seven rebounds. Brown and Mastrodonato finished with eight points apiece, and Pollock scored seven points. MVNU’s bench out-scored the Houghton reserves 33-12, and the Lady Cougars forced 23 turnovers. MVNU shot 38.8 percent from the field (19-for-49), 33.3 percent from three-point range (4-for-12), and 86.4 percent from the free throw line (19-for-22).

Dupler scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Highlanders, while Merrill added nine points. Ashley Scudder also grabbed nine rebounds. Houghton shot 36.7 percent from the field (22-for-60), 30.4 percent from three-point range (7-for-23), and 50.0 percent from the free throw line (2-for-4).

The Lady Cougars will return to action on Tuesday when MVNU will host Cedarville University (7-6) at 5:30 p.m. in the American Mideast Conference South Division opener for both teams.