Making up a game that was postponed in January due to COVID-19, Lourdes battled with Concordia (Mich.) in the home finale before coming up just short in a 71-66 defeat on Monday afternoon inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.
 
The Gray Wolves started strong defensively, holding the Cardinals scoreless for the game's first four minutes while building an 8-0 advantage.  Concordia fought back, closing to within one late in the opening period before Lourdes took a two-point lead, 19-17, into the second 10 minutes.
 
Lourdes extended its advantage to six, 28-22 before Concordia scored six straight points to tie the game with just under four minutes to play before halftime.  The Cardinals took their first lead of the game 35-33 with 1:10 to play before break but Addie Conroy (Cleveland, Ohio/Padua Franciscan H.S.) tallied her only basket of the game, a three-pointer, to put the Gray Wolves in front 36-35 heading into the locker room.
 
Concordia (12-7, 6-4 WHAC) scored the first five points of the third quarter to retake the lead, only for Lourdes to answer again as neither team led by more than five points in the period.  The Cardinals scored the first basket of the fourth to increase their lead to 55-49 before back-to-back triples by Shae Pedroza (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.) and Mary Liedel (Erie, Mich./Mason H.S.) tied the game. 
 
A Liedel triple with 5:40 to play put Lourdes in front for the last time, 60-59 before Concordia answered with a five-point possession to take the lead for good.  A Liedel jumper with 14.3 seconds left had the Gray Wolves within three, 69-66, but the visitors made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.
 
Pedroza led Lourdes with a career-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting while Liedel added 19 points.  The Gray Wolves shot 38.3% from the floor but made 10-of-23 (43.5%) from beyond the arc.
 
J'may Simmons led Concordia with 20 points while Tris'styn Williams added 13 points off the bench.  The Cardinals shot 51.8% from the field but committed 21 turnovers on the night.
 
"I loved our effort, but we need to make a few adjustments, especially on the rebounding side of things for tomorrow," head coach John Kenger said afterwards.
 
Lourdes (4-12, 3-9) and Concordia will meet again on Tuesday evening to close out the 2020-2021 regular season.  The two sides will head north to Ann Arbor, Mich. where tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. inside of Cardinal Fieldhouse.