ASTON, Pa. - The Neumann University women's basketball team fell in a close non-conference contest against Lebanon Valley College, 77-75, on Monday evening.

Jessica Schlesman led the Knights with 29 points. The senior went 8-for-8 from the line and hit three from beyond the arc. Emily Lyons added 17 points while hitting five three-pointers. Ericka Smith-Sowell notched 12 points and a team high eight rebounds.

The game remained close throughout the 40 minutes and featured 11 tie-scores and neither team taking a double-digit lead.

With the teams knotted at eight, Schlesman hit a three-pointer as Neumann went on to score the next seven points. The run helped the Knights hold a nine point lead a few times during the first half, including with 4:13 left on the clock, 33-24, on a lay-up by Smith-Sowell.

The Flying Dutchmen ended the half on a 12-5 run to cut the Knights lead to just two, 38-36, heading into halftime.

Lebanon Valley hit a three-pointer to take the lead on the first basket of the second half. That sparked eight tie scores and three lead changes during the first 10 minutes.

After the teams had the 11^th tied score of the game, 56-56, the Flying Dutchmen went on a 13-4 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 69-60. Schlesman scored the next five points to get Neumann back to within four, 69-65, with 5:47 left on the clock.

The Knights remained within a basket down the final few minutes stretch. With one minute remaining in regulation and the score 77-75, Neumann could not connect on the tying or go-ahead basket. Schlesman had a final look as the buzzer sounded to tie the game, but could not get the ball to sink.

Neumann (3-5) will wrap up the 2014 portion of the schedule on December 30 when it hosts Albright. Action gets underway at 6:00 PM.