BOSTON, Mass. - Renee Chong had 21 points as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team trimmed a 19-point second half deficit down to six, but it couldn't come all the way back as it fell 68-54 to host Emmanuel in the championship game of the Emmanuel Invitational on Sunday. 

With the loss, CMS slips to 2-1 on the young season after opening with wins over UC Santa Cruz and Lebanon Valley. Emmanuel opens its season at 2-0 after defeating Hunter in yesterday's semifinals. 

A scoring drought in the second quarter was the difference, as CMS was outscored 18-4 after starting the stanza tied 12-12 after the first. The Athenas scored first on a jumper from Kayla Ishibashi on its first possession, but managed just one more basket as it fell into a 30-16 hole at the break. 

Emmanuel built a lead up to as many as 19 in the third, before Chong beat the third-quarter buzzer with a three-pointer to close the gap to 49-35. Chong hit another three with 6:58 to go to get the Emmanuel lead down to single digits at 51-42. The Saints scored the next five points to go ahead 56-42, but Grace Florendo hit a jumper and a three-pointer and Chong hit a runner to close to within 56-49 with 2:48 to go.

After two Saints free throws, Chong hit her fifth three-pointer of the game to make it 58-52 with 2:23 left, but Emmanuel scored the next four points and was able to hold on. 

CMS will back in action at home this weekend when it hosts George Fox on Friday and Trinity on Sunday at Roberts Pavilion.