Trailing by 13 points after the opening period and 11 points with under four minutes to play, Lourdes final rally fell just short on Wednesday as the Gray Wolves dropped a 66-63 decision to Taylor inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.
 
"I was very proud of the team effort today," head coach John Kenger said afterwards.  "Taylor is a great team that is very well coached.  For us to rise to the challenge tonight in our first game back really says a lot.  We need to keep working hard."
 
The Gray Wolves, who were off for 71 days prior to the contest, started slow offensively.  The Gray Wolves made just two shots in the opening period falling behind 18-5.
 
Lourdes battled back before halftime.  A 13-2 run over five minutes pulled the Gray Wolves within one, 26-25 before heading into the locker room down four at the break, 32-28.
 
A 9-0 spurt in the third put Lourdes in front.  Mary Liedel (Erie, Mich./Mason H.S.) scored the first five points of the run to tie the game at 35 before Shae Pedroza (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.) made a jumper to put the Gray Wolves in front 37-35 at the 4:52 mark of the third.  Addie Conroy (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan H.S.) followed with a basket, bushing the lead to four.  Taylor (13-3) responded with seven straight of its own as the Trojans went back in front by three, 45-42, heading into the final stanza.
 
Pedroza drained a triple to open the fourth, tying the game before the Trojans scored 14 of the next 15 points, including four threes, to build a 59-46 advantage with 5:46 to play.  The lead was still 11, 61-50, with under three minutes to play when the Gray Wolves made one last run.  A jumper and a three by Liedel followed by an Erica Cary (Central City, Ky./Muhlenberg County H.S.) triple made it a three-point game with 1:45 remaining.
 
Lourdes was able to pull within two with 5.5 ticks left on the clock after another Pedroza three.  Taylor split a pair of free throws but a final heave from half court to tie came up short.
 
Liedel led Lourdes with 22 points and eight rebounds while Pedroza added 12 points.  Gabby Stover (Lexington, Ohio/Lexington H.S.) tallied seven points and seven boards while Sara Semler (Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer H.S.) added seven points and added six assists and three steals.
 
Lourdes finished the game shooting 40% from the floor as well as three-point range, making 11 triples on the night.
 
Meredeth Deckard led three Trojans in double figures with 22 points while Madisyn Fischer came off the bench to add 16.
 
Lourdes (1-3) will remain home on Saturday afternoon, opening Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play hosting the University of Northwestern Ohio.  Tip-off is set for noon inside the Ebeid Rec Center.