Taking to the road for the first time this season, Lourdes dropped a 79-68 decision to Mount Vernon Nazarene on Friday evening inside of Ariel Arena in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
 
Mercedes Wagner (Sherwood, Ohio/Fairview H.S.) led Lourdes with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor while Macie Stringfellow (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg H.S.) added a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
Lourdes trailed 12-11 with just under six minutes to play in the opening quarter when Mount Vernon Nazarene went on an 11-2 spurt to push the advantage to 10 before the Cougars led by seven, 25-18, after 10 minutes.
 
The Cougars were back in front by nine, 28-19, early in the second when the Gray Wolves scored the next five points to pull within four.  The deficit remained four, 35-31, late in the stanza before Mount Vernon Nazarene closed the scoring before halftime with a three-pointer to take a seven-point lead into the break.
 
Coming out of the locker room, Lourdes pulled to within three just three minutes into the third period and eventually got within a two, 42-40, after Halle Barnett (Sylvania, Ohio/Southview H.S.) scored inside with 4:24 remaining in the quarter.  The hosts would close the third with a 13-5 run though to push the advantage to 10 points heading into the fourth.
 
The Cougars pushed their lead to 15, 66-51, with seven minutes to play and Lourdes was unable to get closer than 10 the rest of the way.
 
Shae Pedroza (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.) also finished in double figures for the Gray Wolves, scoring 10 points on the night. 
 
Angela Roshak led Mount Vernon Nazarene (4-0) with 23 points and eight rebounds while Megan Weakley added 16 points.  Emily Walker handed out 10 assists for the Cougars.
 
Lourdes (1-1) returns home on Wednesday evening as the Gray Wolves open Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play, hosting Siena Heights.  Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m. inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.