LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall women's basketball team (3-0) came out on top of a back-and-forth battle with Drew (2-1), 67-62, in Saturday afternoon's non-conference contest. F&M trailed by as much as seven in the second half, but the Diplomats took control of the lead with 1:40 remaining in the game to remain unbeaten to start the season.

Franklin & Marshall jumped out to an early advantage as layups from Mackenzie Ward and Gia Sioutis gave the Diplomats an 8-2 lead. Lauren Rusas splashed a three to push the lead to nine with 4:39 remaining, but Drew responded with a layup on the other end to stop the run. Both teams exchanged baskets to end the quarter with F&M holding a 17-10 lead.

The Rangers started the second quarter with a jumper, but Gianna Modica responded by draining a three-pointer to give the home team a 20-12 lead. Kayla McCrea followed by converting an and-one on the next possession to push the lead to 11. From that point, Drew chipped away at the deficit as F&M went into the halftime break with a narrow 33-32 lead.

Drew continued to find success at the rim to start the second half, taking the lead for the first time in the game. The Rangers led 49-42 when F&M turned things around, starting with a pair of free throws from Lizzie Neville. Layups from Fiona Reckner and Neville on back-to-back possessions cut the Rangers' lead to 49-48 with 1:53 remaining in the frame. With time expiring, Neville drew a foul while driving to the basket and proceeded to make both free throws – giving F&M the lead back, 50-49.

The Rangers held a 60-56 advantage with 4:18 remaining in the contest. McCrea knocked down a jumper, followed by a free throw from Sioutis to get F&M within one. After a jumper from Drew pushed the deficit back to three, Reckner made a layup to make the score 62-61. McCrea drew a foul with 1:40 left in the game and made both free throws to give F&M a 63-62 lead. Reckner and Neville both made layups to close out the game as the Diplomats held onto the win.

F&M shot 38.5 percent (25-of-65) from the field and 75.0 percent (15-of-20) from the free throw line. The Diplomats also outrebounded the Rangers, 43-38, in the win.

Neville led F&M with 22 points, while shooting 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from the field and 88.9 percent (8-of-9) from the free throw line. Sioutis followed with 14 points, two steals, and one block. McCrea notched 13 points with a game-high six assists in the win.

Franklin & Marshall looks to continue rolling when it travels to play York (Pa.) on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.