The American University women's basketball team used a late comeback to pick up its fourth straight win, defeating Lehigh, 69-56, on Wednesday night in Bethlehem, Pa. 

Alexis Dobbs and Arron Zimmerman led the Eagles with 19 points apiece while Dobbs was one rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with nine boards. Shaquilla Curtis also reached double-figures, tallying 13 points, six rebounds and three steals. Jen Dumiak led the team with four assists.

"What I told the team in the locker room was that defensive rebounding wins championships and when you look at the stats we didn't shoot well but when you look at the 15 offensive rebounds and 14 second chance points and how we executed and that we scored the last six possessions, that's how you win games in tight situations," said Head Coach Megan Gebbia. "I'm really happy for Alexis and her strong shooting performance and Arron hit two big three's. The two of them hit big shots down the stretch. We had great minutes from Shaquilla and Sarah just with rebounds and extra possessions and making plays." 

American (17-7, 10-3) held the Mountain Hawks without a score for the first four and a half minutes of the game, with Zimmerman and Dumiak striking first for the Eagles. A triple from Elizabeth Jordan knotted it up at 8-all at 13:06 and Lehigh took a 13-10 advantage on a 5-0 run. Curtis and Dobbs went a combined 3-for-4 from the line to tie it up again at 16 with 8:11 left to play and another pair of free throws from Dobbs gave American a 20-19 edge.

Lehigh (11-12, 4-8) used a 5-0 run to take a 24-20 lead with 4:50 remaining and went up 29-24 on a triple by Amina Affini. Sarah Kiely knocked it away and Curtis laid it in on the other end to cut the Mountain Hawks' lead to three but Jordan hit a pair of free throws to send Lehigh into the break up 31-26. 

The Eagles shot 28.6 percent from the floor and were 0-for-8 from beyond the arc in the first half. The Mountain Hawks shot 37.5 percent and were 4-for-8 from 3-point range.

The teams traded scores to open the half before a putback by Michelle Holmes sparked a 5-0 run for the Eagles to make it a one-point game, 36-35, at 17:15. A bucket by Zimmerman sparked another 8-0 run for American as it took a 43-40 lead with 11:12 to play. Lehigh was able to knot it up at 48-all with 6:48 to go and took back the 50-49 lead on a drive by Kerry Kinek. 

Dobbs completed a 3-point play and Zimmerman nailed back-to-back triples to give the Eagles the lead for good. Dobbs added her second trey on American's next possession for the 61-52 advantage with 2:52 remaining. Kinek made it a nine-point game, 63-54, with under two minutes to go but the Eagles closed out the game on a 6-2 run for the 69-56 final score.

Kinek led the Mountain Hawks with 17 points and Elizabeth Sharlow tallied eight rebounds. 

Lehigh outshot American 42.2 to 35.0 percent from the field and 33.3 to 23.5 percent from 3-point range in the game. The Eagles held a 39-30 advantage in rebounds.

American will host Lafayette on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. Prior to the game the Eagles will honor the accomplishments of its four senior student-athletes, Dobbs, Geleisa George, Kiely and Ti'Asia McGeorge. Saturday will also mark Alumnae Day. The game will be broadcast live on the Patriot League Network.