BENNINGTON, Vt. - After losing by 39 points in an earlier meeting, the Southern Vermont College Mountaineer women's basketball team could have come into Saturday's rematch against Lesley and went through the motions. The Mountaineers didn't, and the result was arguably their best showing of the season.

SVC gave a valiant effort but fell, 69-61, at the Field House on Senior Night. Staying in the game the entire time was a big boost for the Mountaineers after they got down by double digits twice in the contest - but they continued to fight, taking punch after punch until the New England Collegiate Conference leaders finally finished SVC off.

"They left everything out on the floor," head coach Ben Kozik said. "They proved they can compete with anyone in this conference."

The Mountaineers played a tough half of basketball in the first 20 minutes, playing the Lynx (12-1 NECC, 13-9 overall) even up until the last two minutes. SVC (3-10 NECC, 5-17 overall) went ahead 29-26 with 2:14 to play in the half on an Alyssa Davis three-pointer from the left wing, but Lesley's Rachel O'Mara tied the game again with a three of her own.

Southern Vermont would not score again in the half as Lesley scored the last six points to take a 35-29 lead into the locker room. In the January meeting, SVC was down 38-9 at the half — after only making one field goal.

"After being down like that last time, to only be down six this time was fantastic," Kozik said. "I told them it was the best first half they've played all year."

Kozik said the run at the end of the first half ended up being the difference in the contest.

"We talked about the fact that we can't let the other team finish on a run, and that's what they did," Kozik said.

Lesley started the second half on a 10-4 run, pushing the lead to 12, 45-33, with 14:11 left after a three by Kelly Harrington. Back-to-back threes by Davis (14 points) and Mount Anthony Union graduate Kayla Whitman (13 points) got the lead back to seven, 48-41, with 12 minutes to go. Lesley held the Mountaineers at bay for the next few minutes; a jumper by Brianne Caira with 8:05 left in the game giving the Lynx a 13-point advantage.

But SVC wouldn't quit. A 14-5 run over the next five minutes for the Mountaineers erased most of the Lynx lead, punctuated by a Whitman three and a Markeisha Mullen layup, which made the score 61-59 with 2:01 to play. But on the next possession, Lesley senior guard Lani Cabral Pini hit a deep three-pointer from the top of the key to put them back up by five with 1:26 left.

Freshman Joa Claircius hit a layup after a Mullen steal, but those were SVC's final points, as Lesley snuck out of the Field House with a victory.

"I stressed limiting turnovers and we had 21 - less than we've had, but still more then Lesley," Kozik said. "Give Lesley credit, they made their free throws, but we did a heck of a job."

On Senior Night, Mullen, SVC's lone senior, led the team with 14 points and 15 rebounds and five steals.

"She went out and gave us everything she had, and I feel bad we couldn't get her a win tonight," Kozik said.

The team still has a chance to get into the NECC playoffs, but they'll have to win two of the last three - all on the road - to do it. They play Elms on Tuesday, Wheelock on Thursday and then the regular season finale against Becker College on Saturday.