Pitt-Johnstown could not complete a comeback in the final seconds of a narrow 73-69 loss to West Virginia Wesleyan in the regular-season opener on Friday evening at the Frostburg State Jim Crawley Conference Challenge.

Belle Bosch opened her sophomore campaign with game-highs of 21 points and seven rebounds. She scored nine of the Mountain Cats' 17 fourth quarter points, including a layup that gave them a 67-66 lead with about five minutes to go.

West Virginia Wesleyan took the lead for good on a fastbreak layup from Lojain Elfatairy with less than three minutes remaining. Pitt-Johnstown was alive in the final minutes, but came up empty on several chances to tie or take the lead. Bosch went 1-for-2 at the free throw line with 11 seconds left to put the Mountain Cats within 71-69, but the Bobcats hit a pair of free throws immediately after to seal it.

Junior transfer Liv West racked up 13 points, four assists and two blocks in her Mountain Cats' debut. Riley Childress supplied nine points and dished out eight assists, while freshman M'laya Ainsworth added nine points in 12 minutes off the bench.

The Mountain Cats (0-1) led by as many as 16 with five minutes remaining in the first half, but saw that advantage begin to evaporate shortly after that point.

They took a 38-32 lead into the break before being outscored 27-14 in the third quarter after the Bobcats knocked down five 3-pointers and shot 60% from the field.

Pitt-Johnstown shot 57% from the floor in the first half that helped it carve out a 34-18 lead before finishing at 55.1% (27-of-49) for the game. Sydney Baird had 17 points to pace the Bobcats (1-0).

The Mountain Cats will take on Frostburg State on Saturday at 3 p.m.