After trailing by as many as 19 points late in the second quarter, Lourdes cut its deficit to just three late on Monday evening but could not pull even as the Gray Wolves fell 77-69 to Rochester (Mich.) inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.
 
"Four quarters is still what we are looking for," head coach Tandy Bradford said afterwards.  "We asked them to be driven and we saw the effort and the teamwork we want from them to represent our program.  We fought hard in the second half which shows us all we need to know about the kids we are coaching."
 
Lourdes hung tight throughout the opening period and early into the second.  After scoring the first five points of the second quarter, Lourdes led 17-16 following a jumper by Shae Pedroza (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.).  Rochester's defense then turned up the pressure, forcing six turnovers in under six minutes as the Warriors scored 15 consecutive points to build a 31-17 lead.  The advantage grew to 19 with 1:40 to play until intermission before the Gray Wolves closed the half on a 7-2 run to pull within 41-27 at the break.
 
The Gray Wolves slowly chipped away at the lead in the third, making it a 10-point game, 59-49, heading into the final 10 minutes.  Lourdes held Rochester off the scoreboard for more than three minutes starting the final stanza to pull close.  Cydne Campbell (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne H.S.) started the scoring in the fourth before Nadeen Jemaa (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) followed with another lay-in.  After forcing a turnover, Jemaa drained a triple to make it 59-56 at the 6:51 mark.
 
Rochester answered with a three only to see Logan Ingram (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant H.S.) respond with a triple for the Gray Wolves.  Ingram hit another three-pointer with just over four minutes to play to make it a 67-64 game but that would be as close as Lourdes would get.  The Gray Wolves were still within four with under two minutes to play but a Rochester basket and three free throws down the stretch secured the win for the visitors.
 
Pedroza led Lourdes with 16 points, making 4-of-6 from three-point range, and dished out five assists while Mercedes Wagner (Sherwood, Ohio/Fairview H.S.) added 15 points.  Jemaa had four triples and finished with 14 points while Ingram chipped in 13 more to go along with four steals.
 
Lourdes shot 44.3% from the floor but was 12-of-25 (48%) from three-point range.  The Gray Wolves committed 27 turnovers but forced 25 on the defensive end of the floor.
 
Elysia Mattos led Rochester (15-7, 10-3 WHAC) with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting while handing out nine assists and registering six steals.  The Warriors shot 53.3% from the floor on the night.
 
Lourdes (7-15, 1-12) takes to the road on Wednesday evening as the Gray Wolves travel to Lima, Ohio to face Northwestern Ohio.  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Racers Gymnasium.