Allentown, PA – The University of Valley Forge Women's Basketball team continued their efforts in the Scotty Wood Tournament at Muhlenberg College, facing off against the Notre Dame Gators of Maryland University. The Patriots would come up just short, falling to the Gators 87-82
 
From the beginning of the first quarter, anyone could tell that the Patriots came to play. Powered by a balanced offensive attack, Valley Forge had five different players score in the first quarter, tallying 18 points to Notre Dame's 15. The second quarter would take a different turn, though, fueled by an early 10-1 run by the Gators. While the Patriots performed admirably on defense, it was their 8 turnovers of the quarter that cost them the lead. The 29-point swing would leave the Patriots with a 44-33 deficit at half.
 
The second half opened up with a hungry Patriots team eager to prove their mettle early in the season with a second-half comeback. Behind field goals from Bailey Mayforth and Natalie Cortez, Valley Forge came within six points of Notre Dame at the 45-51 mark. The quarter ended on a sour note due to more of the same in the turnover department, with Notre Dame cashing in on the opportunities giving to them, closing out the quarter with a 6-1 run. The final quarter saw Valley Forge attempt to close out a furious comeback behind their scoring leaders Mayforth and Cortez, but unfortunately it wasn't enough. Despite outscoring Notre Dame 30-22 in the final quarter, Valley Forge fell to the Gators by a score of 87-82, giving them a 1-2 mark on the season by tournament's end.
 
A Look at the Numbers
Bailey Mayforth led the Patriots scoring with 24 points on the day, followed closely by Natalie Cortez with 20 points. Notre Dame shot 45% from the field, while Valley Forge should 42% themselves. The small percentage would prove to be the difference in score.
 
Up Next
Valley Forge will have a week and a half before traveling to the Bronx, NY on November 29^th to take on Lehman College. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.