REC CENTER — When Peregrine guard Meme Harris swiped the ball with eight seconds left she had one thought, make the layup and tie the game. Harris (Merrillville) came up short at the basket and immediately fouled Lady Pilot Brittany Cook who grabbed the rebound off the missed shot. Cook hit two free throws to ice the game for the visitors for the 80-76 win.

The Peregrines (1-6) trailed by seven with just under three minutes to play before mounting a comeback. Freshman Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) drilled her third 3-pointer of the game drawing the Peregrines to 71-67.

Lady Pilot Kelsy McKee canned a pair of free throws when Beck was tagged with her only foul of the game. Twenty seconds later, Peregrine leading scorer Jenny Britton (Lake Central) missed a 3-point attempt, but collected her second steal of the game from Bethel’s Cook.

Britton, who finished with 15 points, including four 3-pointers, nailed a 3-pointer closing the gap to 73-70. Both teams traded free throws during the next 90 seconds, including freshman Nicci Desimone (Elkhart Memorial) who was fouled on a 3-point attempt and calmly swished all three free throws knotting the game at 75-75, the eighth tie of the game.

Desimone finished with nine points, Harris scored 12, had four assists and two steals, and Beck finished with 13 points and three assists. Junior Sara Keilman (Morton) added 10 points and five rebounds to the final totals.

The Peregrines had balanced scoring in the first half leading to a 36-32 lead at the break. Four players, Britton, Desimone, Harris and Beck, accounted for six 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes of action.

PUC plays at Illinois Institute of Technology this Saturday at 1 p.m. and next Tuesday at the University of Saint Francis, Ill., at 5:15 p.m. The next women’s home game is Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. against Siena Heights University, Mich.

Box Score: http://www.ccacsports.com/stats/2008-09/WIIBKB/pucg07.htm