The first half went back and forth with neither team holding more than a four-point lead as there were four ties and two lead changes with MVNU (16-10, 4-8 AMC South) taking a slim 23-22 advantage to the locker room at the break. There were only 11 combined baskets made by the two teams as the combined field goal percentage was 21.2 percent (11-for-52).

Freshman post Amanda Himes led the Lady Cougars with six points and four rebounds off the bench, while junior guard Rachel Fiely added five points. Freshman wing Kelli Pollock (left) also grabbed five rebounds off the bench. MVNU shot just 19.2 percent from the field (5-for-26), 16.7 percent from three-point range (2-for-12), and 61.1 percent from the free throw line (11-for-18). The Lady Cougars committed just five turnovers in the first half.

The host Blue Knights (15-9, 6-6 AMC South) were led by Tia Simms with eight points, while Haley Fannon and Sarah Branham scored five points apiece. Megan Mummey also grabbed seven rebounds. Urbana shot 23.1 percent from the field (6-for-26), 25.0 percent from three-point range (1-for-4), and 90.0 percent from the free throw line (9-for-10).

After Simms gave the Blue Knights a 24-23 lead to start the second half, MVNU used a 10-0 run to build a 33-24 lead at the 16:12 mark. Fiely and Pollock both nailed a three-pointer during the spurt, while junior post Melissa Mastrodonato and junior guard Jessica Lynn each added two points apiece.

Urbana responded, though, with a 9-0 run of its own to knot the score at 33-33 with 13:51 remaining. Simms scored four more points and Branham converted a three-point play.

The Lady Cougars built their lead back to 42-35 and held a 44-37 lead with 6:09 left following a basket by Fiely.

The Blue Knights closed the gap to 47-46 on a pair of free throws by Simms with 4:00 to go, but MVNU pushed the lead back to 51-46 with 2:49 to play as Fiely hit a pair of free throws and Himes added a basket.

Simms hit a jumper, Fannon drilled a three-pointer, and Enisia Curry scored on a layup as Urbana moved in front 53-51 with 1:34 left.

Fiely (right) hit a pair of free throws to knot the score at 53-53 with 1:09 remaining, but Curry gave the Blue Knights the lead again 55-53 with a jumper with 51 seconds to go.

A three-point play by Fiely with 24 seconds left put the Lady Cougars on top 56-55, but Jessica Byrd hit a shot with 11 seconds remaining as Urbana led 57-56. MVNU missed a shot at the buzzer as the Blue Knights held on for the one-point win as the Lady Cougars’ suffered their fourth last-second loss of the season.

Fiely finished with 19 points and five rebounds to lead MVNU as she went 12-for-13 from the free throw line. Himes added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench, while Pollock finished with nine points and seven rebounds off the bench. The Lady Cougars shot 29.4 percent from the field (15-for-51), just 18.2 percent from three-point range (4-for-22), and 71.0 percent from the free throw line (22-for-31). MVNU out-rebounded Urbana 40-38 and both teams committed 14 turnovers apiece.

Simms led the Blue Knights with a game-high 24 points. Fannon added nine points, while Byrd finished with eight points and seven rebounds. Mummey also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and blocked two shots. Urbana shot 36.4 percent from the field (20-for-55), 28.6 percent from three-point range (2-for-7), and 75.0 percent from the free throw line (15-for-20).

The Lady Cougars will return to action on Tuesday when MVNU will host No. 24 University of Rio Grande in another AMC South Division game that will tip off at 5:30 p.m.