The Youngstown State women's basketball team went on a second-half surge and led with 22 seconds left, but Robert Morris made plays in the final sequence to defeat the Penguins 65-63 on Sunday afternoon at the UPMC Events Center.

The Penguins trailed by nine, 48-39, with three minutes left in the third quarter, but they went on a 16-3 run to take a 55-51 lead at the 7:29 mark of the fourth. YSU did not make a field goal until an Emily Saunders bucket put it ahead 60-59 five minutes later, and Saunders split two free throws with 22.0 seconds left to give YSU its final lead at 63-62.

Naomi Barnwell, who had a game-high 19 points, scored on a baseline drive to put the Colonials ahead 64-63 with 15.9 seconds on the clock. The Penguins had a turnover on their next possession, and they had to foul to extend the game. Louella Allana made her first free throw but missed her second, and YSU didn't rebound the miss cleanly and never got off a shot attempt after passing to the frontcourt.

Haley Thierry scored 10 of her career-high 16 points in the second half, and and Saunders and Malia Magestro each scored 13 points.

Youngstown State outscored the Colonials in each of the final three quarters. RMU held a 21-14 lead after the first 10 minutes.

Barnwell added 11 rebounds to her 19 points, and Natalie Johnson scored 11 points and made three of the Colonials' nine 3-pointers.

Youngstown State will go back to non-conference play for the final four games before the holiday break. The four-game stretch will begin against Akron on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Beeghly Center.