In a tightly played game between the Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team and Washington University (Mo.) on Friday night at Horsburgh Gymnasium, the Spartans ultimately came out just a point short, falling to the Bears 62-61.

The loss dropped the Spartans to 7-14 overall and 2-8 in the University Athletic Association, while the Bears improved to 14-7 overall with a 5-5 UAA record.

Sophomore forward Maura Schorr, junior guard/forward Emily Plachta, and sophomore guard Mya Hartjes each finished with 14 points to lead all Spartans on Friday night. Schorr made seven-of-13 shots overall and added four rebounds and a pair of assists. Plachta made four-of-10 shots overall and one-of-three from long range while collecting six rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block. Hartjes finished the contest shooting five-of-13 overall, made all four of her free throw attempts, and collected a team-high seven rebounds.

The Spartans and the Bears ended a closely-played first half tied with the Bears, 28-28. The first 20 minutes of the game featured nine lead changes and six tie scores with neither team able to take control of the contest. WashU's largest lead of the half came after a three to start the game, while the Spartans led by as many as four points on multiple occasions in the first half. The first period ended with the score tied at 15-15. A three by first-year guard Taylor Angielski with 1:53 left in the second quarter put CWRU back in front by four, 25-21, but the Bears answered with five straight points to regain the lead with 21 seconds left in the half. In a flurry of activity in the final two possessions of the period, Hartjes converted a traditional three-point play to put CWRU back ahead by two points with four seconds left, but WashU's Sidney Rogers connected on a floater to tie the score at 28-28 heading into the break.

The Bears began to pull away in the third quarter, taking an eight-point lead, 46-38, with 2:44 left in the frame. CWRU cut into the lead with a jumper by senior forward Evie Miller and a three from Plachta that made it a three-point contest again, 46-43, and the period ended with the Spartans still trailing by three, 48-45. Schorr hit a jumper on the Spartans' first possession of the fourth quarter to get back within a point and the score remained within a possession for the rest of the game. CWRU took the lead, 52-50, on another old-fashioned three-point play by Hartjes with 6:03 to play, and the two teams continued to go back and forth with three ties and four lead changes over the next four minutes. A three by WashU's Jordan Rich gave the Bears a 62-59 lead with 2:11 to play. Schorr collected an offensive rebound and connected on a putback to pull CWRU within a point with 1:31 left, and the Spartans held WashU scoreless the rest of the way, but CWRU missed shots on each of its last two possessions and were unable to regain the lead, losing by just the one point.

CWRU finished the game shooting 41.4% overall (23-56) and made five-of-21 three-point attempts (23.8%), while WashU shot 33.8% overall (25-74) and 28.6% from long range (8-28). CWRU also held a 32-28 edge in points in the paint but was outrebounded 53-31 in the game and allowed 25 second-chance points while scoring just eight.

WashU's Jessica Brooks led all players with 26 points and 14 rebounds on Friday.

The Spartans will now turn their attention to the University of Chicago Maroons, who will be visiting Horsburgh Gymnasium on Sunday with tip-off scheduled for noon. Sunday will also mark 'Senior Day' for CWRU, as the team will be recognizing its two graduating players - Miller and guard Nyah Moore - with a ceremony before the start of the game.

Spartan Notes

• The score of Friday's game was within one possession for all but six minutes and 47 seconds of action. There were a total of 14 lead changes and 10 ties in the game, and neither team led by more than eight points in the contest.

• Miller added one block on Friday and now has 52 for the season, third in program history behind only Emily Mueller's 56 blocks during the 2012-13 season and Elaine Cotronakis' 67 blocks in 1987-88. Her 119 career blocks are fourth in program history.

• Friday's loss gives the Spartans a season split with the Bears after CWRU won 64-57 in St. Louis earlier in the year. The Spartans fell to 6-56 all-time against WashU.