WHEATON, Ill. -- North Park Women's Basketball nearly grabbed their first win of the season against Anderson University on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, an early lead slipped away in the final minutes as the Ravens secured a 77-76 victory.

North Park held a 40-33 lead at halftime thanks to 12 first-half points by fifth-year guard Evelyn Abundes and eight first quarter points for sophomore forward Caroline Long. Long also added eight key rebounds, including three on offense, to help support that Viking lead.

At one point in the third quarter, North Park extended its lead to 13 points on consecutive layups by Abundes, set up by junior guard Kathryn Keehn. However, that lead slowly slipped away in the fourth quarter when the Ravens found their groove from distance.

Anderson's Izzy Davis made a layup with 32 seconds on the clock but did not convert on an and-one opportunity, giving Anderson a one-point lead at 75-74. Consecutive timeouts by each team allowed Coach Annie Radenkovich to set up an inbounds play that led to a lead-grabbing layup by sophomore guard Aliyah Hershberger. However, Anderson's Davis was fouled with just three seconds in their final possession and converted on both free shots. 

A final heave by Keehn near halfcourt, knocked over by a handful of Ravens players without a fouled called, landed short and the Vikings suffered a 77-76 loss inside King Arena.

Abundes set another career high with 20 points while Long had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Abundes was named to the Beth Baker Classic All-Tournament team for her two-game performance. Keehn led both sides with six assists while Hershberger reached double-digit points with 14.

What's Next?

North Park (0-4) continues a four-game road trip with a non-conference contest against Dominican University. Tipoff in the Igini Sports Forum is set for 6:00 PM CT.