Celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the Genesee Community College women's basketball team rallied from an 11-0 deficit and maintained control of almost the entire game before a pair of free throws by visiting Mercyhurst North East in the game's dying seconds snatched victory away from the Cougars, 62-61 in Western New York Athletic Conference action Feb. 7.

After trailing 11-0, the Cougars finished the first quarter with a 12-3 run to pull within two at 14-12.

Rosalyn Sealey scored Genesee's next 10 points to open the second quarter and in the process put the Cougars in front 22-17. Genesee would extend that lead to nine points at 30-21, before the Saints closed the gap at 33-29 at the intermission.

With the exception of a very brief 39-37 lead by Mercyhurst, the Cougars held the edge the rest of the way with a lead as high as eight points midway through the final quarter.

It wasn't until the game's final minute that the Saints managed to get the lead at 60-59, but a Sealey jumper put Genesee back on top 61-60 with 45 seconds left. Ultimately a pair of late fouls led to the Cougar's demise with the game-winning free throw scored with less than a second remaining on the clock.

Sealey finished the game with more than 50 percent of the team's points with 31. Kierra Perl hit double-digits with a dozen points, while TaLia Burgess added nine. The latter pair co-led the Cougars with nine boards each.

Rachel Meyer wasn't far behind with eight rebounds, while adding three blocks and a team-high five assists.

The National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) is an annual day of observance held during the first week of February to acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, recognize the influence of sports participation for women and girls, and honor the progress and continuing struggle for equality for women in sports.

Genesee next hosts Jamestown Community College Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. as one of six conference matchups to close out the regular season.