ORANGE, Calif. — Traveling out west, the St. Scholastica women's basketball team battled hard Sunday afternoon against Chapman University but came up just short as the Panthers posted a 60-49 victory at Hutton Sports Center. The result ended the Saints' five-game winning streak and handed CSS its second loss of the season.

After a slow start offensively, the Saints showed plenty of grit throughout the contest. St. Scholastica managed to stay within striking distance early, trading buckets and keeping the game competitive through the first half. A 10-point first quarter gave Chapman an early edge, but the Saints responded in the second, tightening up defensively and trimming the gap heading into the break.

Junior Kloey Lind (Pine City, MN/Pine City HS) led the Saints with an efficient 14 points, connecting on 5-of-8 field goals and sinking clutch free throws down the stretch. Senior Ava Haus (St. Michael, MN/St. Michael-Albertville High School) added 9 points with 2-of-3 shooting from deep, while Ava Riegel (Rogers, MN/Totino Grace High School) contributed 7 points and applied strong defensive pressure throughout. Despite foul trouble and some missed opportunities behind the arc, St. Scholastica showed resilience against a tough Chapman squad.

Chapman's balanced attack proved pivotal. Kira Watanabe paced the Panthers with 13 points, including a pair of triples that helped Chapman maintain momentum. Layla Woods chipped in 10 points, and Maile Nakaji delivered a team-high 18, providing the offensive spark Chapman needed to pull clear in the second half.

Up next, the Saints (8-2, 3-0 MIAC) return to Minnesota to begin the heart of their MIAC schedule at Concordia College (MN) on Saturday, January 3.