WHEELING, W.Va. - The West Liberty University women's basketball team fell, 74-68, at Wheeling Saturday afternoon in a back-and-forth battle that featured five ties in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals scored the final six points and held the Hilltoppers off the board for the last 1:20 to secure the win.

Five Hilltoppers scored double-digits led by Arriana Manzay with her ninth double-double of the season posting 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Battle for Wheeling lived up to its name featuring 11 ties and 11 lead changes across the 40 minutes. No side led by more than four points in the first half, as WLU held a two-point edge (17-15) after one quarter and owned a point advantage (36-35) at the break.

Six straight points in two minutes by the Black and Gold started the second half to give them their largest lead of the game, of seven points (42-35), holding Wheeling off the scoreboard for the first four and a half minutes of the third quarter. Once the Cardinals found the bottom of the net, they quickly got the game back to one point with a 5-0 spurt.

West Liberty recorded just three field goals in the final eight minutes of the third frame and trailed by three (52-49) with 10 minutes to play.

Wheeling took advantage of 12 trips to the free throw line in the final frame going 10-for-12. Natalija Sekulovska, Grace Faulk, and Sonia Sarda all made three pointers in a 6-1 run for West Liberty to go up 64-59 with five minutes left. The Hilltoppers went one for its last nine from the field and made a pair of free throws getting outscored 15-4 over the final five minutes. Wheeling broke a 68-68 tie with a layup at the one minute mark, then shut down West Liberty on the defensive end and sealed the deal with four free throws.

Corinne Thomas netted a season-high 13 points, with both of the Hilltoppers' three pointers in the first half. Karly McCutcheon, Faulk, and Sarda scored 10 points each for the Black and Gold.

The Hilltoppers committed 25 turnovers and were outscored 19-2 in points off turnovers. They also went just 10-for-22 from the free throw line.

West Liberty held Wheeling to just one three pointer, while going 6-for-21 on the offensive end. Four of the Hilltoppers six triples came in the fourth quarter.

West Liberty will host Davis & Elkins in its final home Wednesday contest next week. Tip off inside the ASRC is scheduled for 5:30 pm.

Follow Hilltopper basketball all season online at HilltopperSports.com and on Twitter (@WLU_Hoops | @WLathletics), Instagram (@wlu_wbb | @wlu_athletics), and Facebook.