Box Score Box Score

SEWANEE, Tenn. – The St. Scholastica women's basketball team erased a 14-point second half deficit, but Sewanee: The University of the South (Tenn.) defeated the Saints 83-79 this afternoon.

The loss drops the Saints to 5-6 overall, while the Tigers improve to 3-5 on the year. This was the first-ever meeting between the two schools and the first time the Saints have played a school from Tennessee.

The Saints got off to a good start, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. The Tigers would not make their first field goal until 2:45 seconds into the contest. CSS led 12-6 following a #Kirsten Haukom# (Sr.-Marshall, Minn.) 3-pointer with over 15 minutes left in the half. Sewanee quickly went on a 6-0 run to tie it up.

The rest of the first half went back-and-forth with five ties and four lead changes. However, the Tigers closed the half on an 8-0 run to take 46-37 lead into the locker room.

The Saints shot 38-percent in the first half and had a 30-22 rebounding advantage. Sewanee shot 43-percent in the first 20 minutes and forced 14 CSS turnovers.

The Tigers went up by as much as 14 in the second half and led by 11 with 11 minutes to go in the contest. CSS then started to chip away at the lead going on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to one after a #Taylor Fellbaum# (So.-Minong, Wis./Northwood) 3-pointer with seven minutes to go.

The Saints then took the lead on a #Katie Kimm# (Jr.-Mora, Minn.) lay-up with six minutes left. Three, 3-point field goals by Sewanee over the next three minutes extended the Tigers lead back up to seven. CSS got it back down to two with 13 seconds left when #Alexa Leighton# (Sr.-Superior, Wis.) connected on a 3-pointer. However, the Tigers made both free throws to put the game out of reach and win by a final of 83-79.

The Saints finished at 40-percent from the field for the game and dominated the glass 56-41. Free throw shooting hurt CSS as it was just 15-of-25 for the game. The Saints also committed 30 turnovers, which led to 24 Tiger points. Sewanee shot 39-percent for the game and had 18 steals.

Kirsten Haukom (Marshall, Minn./Marshall HS) led the Saints with a game-high 16 points. #Katie Christensen# (Sr.-Elk River, Minn.) added 14 points, #Kelly Cinquegrani# (Jr.-Buffalo, Minn.) had 11 points and Alexa Leighton (Superior, Wis./Superior HS) pitched in 10 points. #Taylor Tyllia# (Fr.-Duluth, Minn./East) had season-high 12 rebounds to lead CSS. #Erin Morstad# (So.-Fergus Falls, Minn.) also had a career-high eight assists. Claire Elliott had 14 points to lead the Tigers.

On the way back home the Saints will face stiff competition when it stops to play 18th-ranked and unbeaten University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Saturday. The tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.