BELMONT/>, NC/>/> - Playing its first contest in 20 days, the Belmont Abbey women's basketball team received a team-high 19 points from sophomore guard Marie Marquez, 15 from sophomore center Amy Mulnix and ten points from freshman forward Hannah Lunt, but the Crusaders fell to Converse/> College/>/> 72-63 tonight at the Wheeler/> Center/>/>. The Abbey falls to 4-5 on the year, while the All-Stars improve to 3-14.

The Crusaders shot 33.9 percent (21-62) from the floor as Marquez sank six of her nine field goal attempts, and seven of her eight free throws. She also had four rebounds, five assists and one steal. Mulnix, who had ten first half points, also pulled down four rebounds. Lunt narrowly missed a double double with ten points and a game-tying high nine rebounds.

After scoring the first four points of the contest, Converse scored the next five straight points to take a lead it would hold for the majority of the half, and building it to as high as six points at 14-8 with 14:24 remaining. The Crusaders would respond with a 7-2 run to gain its first lead at 17-16 with 9:12/> left in the half. It would be the last time the Abbey would hold a lead in the contest, as Converse answered with a 16-7 run to open up an eight point advantage, 32-24 with 5:05/>left to play in the half.

The Crusaders again answered the challenge, clawing back on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to one at 32-31 with 1:31/>left, but a Converse three-pointer with 49 seconds left gave the All-Stars a 35-31 halftime lead.

The second half opened with the two teams trading baskets. After a Marquez layup with 17:06 left to play, the Abbey would not sink another field goal until the 8:16 mark, as its only points came from five free throws between the two successful field goals, the last of which came on an Emma Camp jumper to start a 7-0 Crusader run that trimmed the Converse lead to five points at 51-46 with 6:27 left. Converse would respond by pushing its lead to as high as 14 points at 64-50 with 2:55/>left, and from there Belmont Abbey could get no closer than seven points as Converse sealed the win.

Converse was led by Kathlyn McClain's 24 points, while Brandi Cristiello added 22 as the All-Stars shot 35.7 percent (25-70) from the floor.

Belmont Abbey is back in action tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m./> when it hosts Limestone at the Wheeler/> Center/>/>.