Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College women's basketball team lost 56-43 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) action on Wednesday from the Spurlock Center.

Franklin is tied for second place in the conference standings with an 8-3 league record. Overall, the team is 10-8 on the season.

The Grizzlies were shorthanded by injuries and had seven players available in the second half.

Manchester (9-9, 6-5 HCAC) used stingy defense in the first half to hold a 21-18 advantage. The Spartans started the second half on an 8-0 run to build a 29-18 lead with 16:14 left.

The hosts got within six points, 30-24, with 13:19 remaining after a layup from freshman Mandy Fisher (Mooresville, Ind./Mooresville). Manchester led by 11 points, 37-26, at the 11:05 mark following a jumper from Jocelyn Hamilton.

Franklin would hold the visitors to five points over the next four minutes. A three-point play by junior Nichole Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood) got the Grizzlies within three points 42-39 with 7:14 left.

However, Manchester scored eight straight points and led by double digits the rest of the way.

Junior Lindsey Dall (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) led Franklin with 12 points. Fisher added eight points, while Thompson scored seven points.

Manchester's Abby Lang scored a game-high 13 points, while Justine Kruger had 12 points and Stephanie Barmes scored 10 points.

Franklin returns to action on Saturday, February 1 at 1 p.m. when it hosts Anderson University from the Spurlock Center. Live audio and statistics of the game will be available here. In-game updates will be available on Twitter (@FCAthletics) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics).