CHESTER, Pa. – Devan Rimmer recorded her second career double double, however, it was not enough as the Widener University women's basketball team fell to nationally-ranked Messiah College Falcons.

Rimmer paced the Pride with 17 points, 11 rebounds and one assist. Madison Ireland and Tatiana Pleasant each contributed nine points. As a team, Widener shot 30.5 percent from the floor, 15.8 percent from behind the arc and 66.7 percent at the foul line.

The Pride held the lead for the majority of the first quarter and jumped ahead by as many as six when Allison Gallagher and Rimmer knocked down back-to-back three pointers. A jumper by Rimmer put the Pride ahead by seven with 51 seconds on the clock, but Messiah ended the quarter with a lay up to cut the deficit down to five.

The second quarter belonged to Messiah as they went on an 8-0 run to give them the 27-22 edge heading into the locker rooms. Widener led by six until Becca Isaac scored two free throws with 3:24 remaining to spark momentum for the hosts.  

Despite trailing 27-22, the Pride came back and slashed the lead down to two when Rimmer drove in for a layup to make it 31-29 with 5:33 remaining. The hosts then regained the lead when Ireland found Pleasant underneath the basket for a two-point play, but Messiah was able to hold off the rally by sinking three shots in the final minute of the quarter.

Widener hit its first three shots of the quarter to put them ahead 44-43 two minutes in, however, Messiah quickly pulled ahead by 10 with 3:50 remaining in regulation and never looked back as it notched its 13th win of the season.

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The Pride will return to action as it travels to Reading, Pa. to take on the Alvernia University Golden Wolves at 8 p.m.