WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – After facing a 16-point deficit at halftime, the Notre Dame College women's basketball team made a tremendous run in the third and fourth quarter to force overtime. The home West Liberty team closed things out in OT, however, to win 107-92.
 
On the first possession of the game, WLU's Taylor Johnson cashed in a three-pointer to set the Hilltoppers on their path throughout the remainder of the first half. As a team, West Liberty made 10 of their 14 threes in the first two quarters to go up 59-43 at the half.
 
In the first NDC possession of the second half, Kyleigh Ramlow drained a three, which set the Falcons on their path to an 18-point comeback (WLU scored two points to start the third quarter and increase its lead to 18). Notre Dame would continue to chip away at West Liberty's lead in the third quarter, going on a 9-0 run at one point to make it 75-69 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
A 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter would make it a one-point game (82-81). The run would eventually turn into a 17-3 scoring fury by the Falcons to give NDC its first lead since the first quarter (88-85).
 
With two seconds left, and Notre Dame leading 91-89, the referees called a foul to put West Liberty on the free throw line. Audrey Tingle made both attempts to force overtime and set up her team for the home win.
 
Ramlow launched the big second-half push with her three, which started a snowball effect that built up the Falcon's play.
 
"We got some momentum early in the third quarter and the team just kept feeding off one another," said head coach Lauren Macer. "We focused on coming together on both ends of the court and communicating well to really show how we can play."
 
The Falcons were led in scoring by Seina Adachi who put up 26 points. Jada Marone (17), Ramlow (12) and Katie Karalic (11) would also reach double digits. Jessie Stout secured 12 rebounds while Abi Oriti gathered seven. Adachi also led the team with four assists and four steals.
 
With UVa-Wise also falling, the Falcons hold on to the No. 5 seed for the MEC Tournament. If NDC wins its final game, they will secure a fifth-place finish. The No. 5 seed will play the No. 4 seed, which is currently West Liberty, in the second round of the tournament. Concord's loss tonight put WLU and CU in a tie for third with Concord owning the tiebreaker.
 
Notre Dame will play at Urbana to end the regular season on Saturday, March 2, at 2 p.m.