A last-minute comeback bid fell short for the Hope College women's basketball team Saturday afternoon as the Flying Dutch suffered their first loss of the season, 65-62, to Ohio Wesleyan University at Van Noord Arena in the Hope College-Calvin University Tournament.

The Flying Dutch, ranked 23rd in the D3hoops poll, fell to 3-1 with the loss, while the Battling Bishops (2-1) bounced back from a 70-45 loss Friday night to Calvin.

All four teams in the tournament finished 1-1 after Colorado College downed the host Knights, 64-61, in Saturday's finale.

Hope rallied after a 10-0 Ohio Wesleyan run gave the Bishops a 64-56 lead with 1:51 remaining in the game. The Flying Dutch received six points from sophomore center Leah Richards (DeWitt, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) – on a three-point play and a 3-point basket – to trim the lead to 64-62 with 56 seconds to play.

A free throw by Nora Johns gave OWU a 65-62 lead with 15 seconds left. Hope missed two free throws seconds later, then had a last-gasp 3-point shot attempt at the buzzer fall short.

The Flying Dutch started slowly, falling behind 10-0 three minutes into the contest. But with junior guard Chloe Brunsberg (Chaska, Minnesota/Southwest Christian) providing a spark off the bench with two 3-point baskets and a conventional three-point play, the Flying Dutch closed the gap to 19-16 after the first quarter.

Ohio Wesleyan scored the eight points of the second quarter to build its lead up to 11, but Hope clamped down defensively, holding the Bishops without a field goal the last eight minutes of the first half.

Meanwhile, sophomore forward Maddie Petroelje (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) hit three 3-point baskets, including one from the corner with 8.4 seconds left in the half, to give the Flying Dutch their first lead at 33-32, which is how the half ended.

The Battling Bishops opened the second half with a 13-3 spurt to take a 45-36 lead, but again Hope battled back. Freshman guard Josie DeSmit (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) capped a 14-3 run with her only basket of the game, a 3-pointer, to give the Flying Dutch a 50-48 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Hope last led at 56-54 on a basket by junior guard Terin Maynard (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Jenison) with just under five minutes left. The Flying Dutch shot 34.5% from the field for the game (20 of 58), while Ohio Wesleyan shot 43.6%(24 of 55). The Flying Dutch made eight 3-pointers for the game to five for OWU.

Leah Richards led Hope with 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Petroelje added 16 points, including four 3-pointers, and grabbed six boards. Brunsberg had nine points and six rebounds. Senior forward Lauren Leach (Angola, Indiana/Angola) also had six boards. Sophomore forward Anna Richards (DeWitt, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) dished out five assists.

Macy Miller led Ohio Wesleyan with 25 points and 14 rebounds.

Hope begins MIAA play Tuesday, November 18, at 7:30 p.m. against Alma College at DeVos Fieldhouse.