WASHINGTON, D.C. - Catholic University women's basketball senior Luca Mamula totaled 12 points and six rebounds as the Cardinals fell to No. 23 Scranton Saturday on Franny Murray Court, 56-53.

Catholic (7-1, 0-1 LC) suffered its first loss of the season in what was the earliest meeting between the two teams who have won the last 10 Landmark Conference championships since Nov. 25, 2006. It was also the first meeting between the two where both were nationally-ranked since Feb. 25, 2017.

Junior Rachel Bussanich also had 12 points and six rebounds for the Cardinals who fell for just the fourth time in 15 Landmark Conference openers.

The game was tied at 10-10 after a low scoring first quarter in which both teams went a combined 7-of-27 from the floor, including 2-of-11 from three-point range.

The Cardinals managed to take a 26-24 lead into halftime after scoring nine of their 16 second-quarter points off six Royal turnovers. Mamula had eight points and four rebounds in the first 20 minutes.

Led by five points from junior Erin Doherty, Catholic stretched its lead to as many as six after the third quarter as Scranton shot just 21.7 percent from the floor.

Catholic took its biggest lead of the game at 50-41 following a three-pointer from junior Amelia Baldo with 6:10 remaining in the fourth, but the Cardinals finished the game just 1-of-12 from the floor while going over five minutes without a basket.

Meanwhile, the Royals (6-1, 1-0 LC) didn't fare much better, making just two of their final six attempts, but they were 11-of-12 from the free throw line as they closed the game on a 15-3 run.

Scranton was 12-of-15 from the free throw line in the quarter while limiting Catholic to just 12 points and 5-of-18 shooting.

The Cardinals finished with less than 10 turnovers for the second-straight game, but were outrebounded 50-34 which contributed to 15 second-chance points.

Senior Amanda Johnson, the 2021 Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Year, finished with seven points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Bridget Monaghan, the 2021 Landmark Conference Player of the Year, had 16 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Royals while Abby Anderson totaled 20 points and 17 rebounds.

Catholic faces a 14-day layoff before returning to action on Sunday, December 19 when the team hosts a non-conference contest versus William Smith in the Jamie L. Roberts Classic beginning at 4 p.m.