BUCKHANNON, W.Va. -- Despite outscoring West Virginia Wesleyan 40-25 in the second half, Fairmont State suffered a 63-61 setback on the road on Saturday afternoon at the Rockefeller Center.
 
The Falcons are now 2-5 overall and 1-3 in league play. West Virginia Wesleyan improves to 2-4 overall and 2-2 in MEC play.
 
With WVWC leading 38-21 at the half, the Falcons outscored the Bobcats 24-17 in the third quarter to get back into the game.
 
Still trailing by 10 entering the fourth (55-45), Fairmont State continued its comeback by scoring the first nine points of the final quarter to pull within a single points, 55-54, with 5:10 remaining in the game.
 
After Fairmont State took its first lead since early in the first half at 58-57 with 3:32 left to play, Abi Gabauer hit a pair of free throws for the Bobcats, giving Wesleyan a 59-58 edge. Alexa Szelong's three-pointer left Fairmont State trailing 62-58 at the 2:09 mark before Rachel Laskody completed a three-point play for the Falcons to put Fairmont State back within striking distance with a one-point deficit (62-61).
 
Wesleyan's Nicole Gilyard went 1-for-2 at the free throw line with 41 seconds on the clock to give the Bobcats a 63-61 lead, which turned out to be enough as Brooke Kurucz's final shot attempt rimmed off.
 
Kurucz led the effort for Fairmont State with 20 points and six rebounds in the setback. Laskody added 19 points and seven boards in the loss, and Kamrin Weimer chipped in eight points and four boards. Fairmont State shot 38.3 percent from the field in the loss, including nearly 50 percent in the second half. The Falcons made just 5-of-23 attempts from behind the arc.

Gabauer paced West Virginia Wesleyan with 15 points and nine rebounds in the win. Szelong netted 11 points for the Bobcats followed by Summer Matlack with 10. The Bobcats shot 48% from the floor in the win, but made just three shots from behind the arc.
 
The Falcons will return to the court on Wednesday evening at Wheeling Jesuit. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m.