Lehigh University Athletics
Sunday, March 15
Worcester, Mass.
12:00 PM
Lehigh University
17-14,11-6Patriot
70
at
77
Holy Cross
23-9,14-4Patriot
1st quarter1
2nd quarter2
3rd quarter3
4th quarter4
FinalF
Lehigh
11
16
21
22
70
Holy Cross
17
15
22
23
77
Lehigh Falls to Holy Cross in PL Championship Game
3/15/2026 4:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball
WORCESTER, Mass. - No. 2 seed Holy Cross defeated Lehigh 77-70 on Sunday afternoon in the Patriot League Championship game. With the win, Holy Cross earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Belle Bramer led the way for Lehigh with a career-high 24 points, shooting 9-of-12 from the field and 3-of-3 from 3-point range. Leia Edwards recorded her second straight double-double, scoring 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc while grabbing 11 rebounds.
Bramer and Edwards were named to the 2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team.Â
All five members of the Crusaders' starting lineup scored in double figures, with Meg Cahalan, Kaitlyn Flanagan and Simone Foreman each scoring 16 points to tie for the team lead. As a team, Holy Cross shot 51% from the field and went 10-for-12 from the free-throw line.
Lehigh and Holy Cross traded baskets early, and a Bramer 3-pointer put Lehigh ahead 9-8 midway through the first quarter. The Crusaders closed the period on an 8-2 run to take a 17-11 lead after one quarter.
Holy Cross carried its momentum from the first quarter into the second, building a 28-14 lead with 6:16 remaining in the period. Another 3-pointer from Bramer, followed by a 3-pointer from Gracyn Lovette, who finished with two from beyond the arc, brought Lehigh back into the game. Two baskets from Lily Fandre and a 3-pointer from Edwards later in the period helped Lehigh trim the deficit to five at halftime, 32-27.
Early third-quarter baskets from Bramer and Whitney Lind helped Lehigh inch closer at the start of the period. Katie Hurt converted a layup underneath the basket to give Lehigh a 35-34 lead with 7:05 remaining in the quarter.
After Lehigh took the lead, the Crusaders responded with a quick run to retake the advantage, one they would not relinquish. Holy Cross built its lead to nine before Edwards knocked down a 3-pointer late in the third quarter to cut the deficit to six entering the fourth, 54-48.
A 3-pointer from Bramer, followed by a layup from Lind between Holy Cross baskets, cut the deficit to three with 8:20 to play. Lehigh would get no closer in the fourth quarter, and Holy Cross eventually pulled away from the Mountain Hawks to win the Patriot League Championship, 77-70.
2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Kaitlyn Flanagan, Holy Cross, Sr., G
Meg Cahalan, Holy Cross, Sr., F
Belle Bramer, Lehigh, So., F
Leia Edwards, Lehigh, Fy., F
Zanai Barnett-Gay, Navy, Jr., G
Belle Bramer led the way for Lehigh with a career-high 24 points, shooting 9-of-12 from the field and 3-of-3 from 3-point range. Leia Edwards recorded her second straight double-double, scoring 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc while grabbing 11 rebounds.
Bramer and Edwards were named to the 2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team.Â
All five members of the Crusaders' starting lineup scored in double figures, with Meg Cahalan, Kaitlyn Flanagan and Simone Foreman each scoring 16 points to tie for the team lead. As a team, Holy Cross shot 51% from the field and went 10-for-12 from the free-throw line.
Lehigh and Holy Cross traded baskets early, and a Bramer 3-pointer put Lehigh ahead 9-8 midway through the first quarter. The Crusaders closed the period on an 8-2 run to take a 17-11 lead after one quarter.
Holy Cross carried its momentum from the first quarter into the second, building a 28-14 lead with 6:16 remaining in the period. Another 3-pointer from Bramer, followed by a 3-pointer from Gracyn Lovette, who finished with two from beyond the arc, brought Lehigh back into the game. Two baskets from Lily Fandre and a 3-pointer from Edwards later in the period helped Lehigh trim the deficit to five at halftime, 32-27.
Early third-quarter baskets from Bramer and Whitney Lind helped Lehigh inch closer at the start of the period. Katie Hurt converted a layup underneath the basket to give Lehigh a 35-34 lead with 7:05 remaining in the quarter.
After Lehigh took the lead, the Crusaders responded with a quick run to retake the advantage, one they would not relinquish. Holy Cross built its lead to nine before Edwards knocked down a 3-pointer late in the third quarter to cut the deficit to six entering the fourth, 54-48.
A 3-pointer from Bramer, followed by a layup from Lind between Holy Cross baskets, cut the deficit to three with 8:20 to play. Lehigh would get no closer in the fourth quarter, and Holy Cross eventually pulled away from the Mountain Hawks to win the Patriot League Championship, 77-70.
2026 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Kaitlyn Flanagan, Holy Cross, Sr., G
Meg Cahalan, Holy Cross, Sr., F
Belle Bramer, Lehigh, So., F
Leia Edwards, Lehigh, Fy., F
Zanai Barnett-Gay, Navy, Jr., G
Team Stats
Lehigh
HolyCr
FG%
.473
.517
3FG%
.375
.294
FT%
.750
.833
RB
25
36
TO
11
12
STL
6
3
Game Leaders
Pts
24
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
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