GALLOWAY, N.J. -- Richard Stockton handed Gwynedd-Mercy an 80-74 non-league defeat Tuesday night for their second loss in a row.

Freshman Shea Wassel (North Wales, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) led the Griffins (5-5) with 15 points and seven rebounds, but the Ospreys used a 16-4 run midway in the second half to pull away. Wassel was one of four Griffins in double figures. Senior Brittany Neill (Woodlyn, Pa./Archmere Academy Del.) added 14 points, six boards, and five assists. Freshman Jess Rotella (Clifton Heights, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast) totaled 10 points, six caroms, three steals and two blocks, while sophomore Natasha Matthews (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) chipped in a career-high 13 points off the bench.

Lauren Alwan had 17 points with nine rebounds. Teammate LaTonya Oliver contributed 12 points with a game-high 17 rebounds.

Rotella's three-point play early on helped get GM out to a 5-0 lead. Stockton (7-1) battled back to keep things close, as the two teams changed leads five times in the first 20 minutes.

Sophomore Nicole Dougherty (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland) would get fouled on a short jumper in the paint. Her ensuing free throw gave the Griffins a 28-27 edge with just over four minutes. The Ospreys would outscore, GM, 11-4, to end the period before Neill drained one of her four three-pointers on the night as Gwynedd trailed 38-35 at the break.

The second half, the teams stayed neck and neck, keeping the score within a two-possession contest. Wassel's layup inside gave Gwynedd a 56-54 lead with 12 minutes left before Stockton countered with a 16-4 spurt over a six minute span to open up a double-figure lead.

Alwan would score on a bucket underneath, giving the Osprey's their largest lead of the game at 12 with 4:27 remaining.

Despite a tough shooting night, the Griffins gave it one last push, and were able to get it within five twice, the last coming with 29 seconds left. 

Gwynedd was just 33.0 % shooting on a season-high 83 attempts with a 6-for-20 spot from downtown. RSC held a 61-46 edge on the glass, but the Griffins forced 23 turnovers which led to 18 points.

The Griffins are off until Monday, January 2nd when they take on Oneonta State on the campus on Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla in a 12 p.m. start.