01/28/06

With their third consecutive defeat, this one a 71-58 road loss to Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato on Saturday afternoon, the Saints fell to 4-5 in the UMAC and into 5th place in the conference standings.

The Vikings of Bethany Lutheran led nearly the entire first half with the visiting Saints getting close enough for at least a tie only once, at 22-22 with 3:58 to play in the half. Still, though, the Vikings held only a 3 point lead at 30-27 entering the intermission.

The battling Saints held a 1-point lead twice in the second half and when Erin Niles converted a lay up at the 9:09 mark she put the Saints ahead 47-45.

Bethany Lutheran would regain the lead over the next six minutes and then, ahead 61-56 with 3:08 to play, began a 9-0 run that would effectively end the hopes of the Saints for the road win.

At home, the Saints are 6-3 but with the loss in Mankato they drop to 2-7 when on the road.

Jen Kne led the Saints with a game high 22 points, but the rest of the team could only muster a combined 36 points.

Whitney Latham and Heather Saralampi would each grab 7 rebounds for the Saints, but as a team they were out rebounded 51-38.

Poor shooting continues to dog the Saints. Against the Vikings they converted only a little better than 27% of their shots. And from over the 3-point line they were dreadful.

In both halves the Saints were 0 for 11 beyond the 3-point arc, and combined with Friday night's 1 for 20 performance the Saints were 1 for 42 over the weekend.

The Saints hope the home atmosphere of the Reif Center on campus will improve their luck as they host Presentation and MN-Morris this upcoming weekend. The Morris match-up will be Senior Recognition night as well as Alumnae Weekend.