The Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team pushed 10th-ranked Emory University to the brink on Friday night, turning a double-digit second-half deficit into a one-point lead in the closing minutes, but ultimately came up short in a 61-55 loss to the Eagles in Atlanta.

The loss dropped the Spartans to 8-7 overall with a 1-3 University Athletic Association record, while the Eagles improved to 13-2 with a 3-1 league mark.

Senior forward Kayla Characklis led all scorers with 20 points, her fourth effort of at least 20 points this season. She shot 10-of-19 overall, including six-of-10 for 12 points during the fourth quarter alone as she helped lead the Spartans' comeback. Characklis also added three assists and four rebounds in the contest.

For the second straight game, first-year guard Mya Hartjes matched her career high with 14 points, making a career-high four three-pointers on as many attempts with three rebounds and three assists.

After giving up the first basket of the game, the Spartans went on a 10-1 run, taking a seven-point lead on a three by graduate student forward Kate Montgomery with 5:30 left in the first quarter. CWRU maintained a lead through the rest of the first period, taking an 18-14 advantage into the second frame, and stayed in front until the Eagles knotted the score at 25-25 with 5:20 left in the half, and took their first lead since the opening basket of the contest just 12 seconds later. The Spartans remained close and were within three points, 30-27, with 2:03 to go in the half, before a 6-0 run to close the period by Emory gave the Eagles a 36-27 lead at the break.

Emory expanded its lead to 11 points, 44-33, with 4:13 to play in the third, but the Spartans' defense locked in from that point forward, holding the Eagles scoreless for the remainder of the period and for the first 1:31 of the fourth quarter to spur the comeback. The Spartans scored the final seven points of the third to enter the fourth quarter down just four, 44-40 and cut the lead to just a point on a three by Hartjes with 6:43 remaining in the game. Emory continued to lead until back-to-back layups by Characklis turned a three-point deficit into a one-point lead, 51-50, with 4:45 to go. It began a stretch where Characklis scored 10 straight points for the Spartans and had the team leading by three, 55-52, with 2:53 to play. However, the Eagles scored on their next possession to cut the lead to a point and then took advantage of a technical foul, hitting both of the resulting free throws to regain the lead with just under two minutes left in the game. CWRU would be unable to score the rest of the way, as the Eagles were able to hold on for a six-point win.

The Spartans outshot Emory 38.0% (19-50) to 32.3% (21-65) in the game, including a 35.3% (6-17) to 11.8% (2-17) from behind the three-point line, but were ultimately hurt by the Eagles' 20-8 edge in offensive rebounds that turned into a 16-3 advantage in second-chance points.

CWRU will look to rebound on Sunday afternoon when the Spartans take on the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.