Women's Basketball Drops First SUN Opportunity of the Season

AVE MARIA, Fla.- Southeastern University women's basketball fell to 1-3 today after dropping their first Sun Conference contest of the season by a score of 88-78 to the Ave Maria University Gyrenes.
 
The Fire spent eight of the first 10 minutes with the lead, the largest coming at a 7-2 advantage after the Fire strung together a 7-0 run out of the gate. After tying the contest at seven, Anja Knoflach knocked down her second three-pointer of the quarter with 6:25 on the clock to put her team back on top. The Gyrenes would take advantage of two Fire fouls in the final two minutes of the quarter, going 4-4 at the line to tie the contest at 17.
 
Both offenses found more success in the second period with the Fire shooting 42.1 from the field and the Gyrenes going 9-18 from midrange. AMU opened the period with a 6-0 run to go up 23-17 but five consecutive points from Raegan Linster and second consecutive points by Knoflach would put the Fire up 31-29 with just under five remaining on the clock as the Fire would go on to hold a slight 43-40 edge into the half.
 
Southeastern would be outscored 48-35 in the final two periods as the Gyrenes completed the comeback.
 
In the third, Gabby Suarez recorded nine of the Fire's 20 points off two jumpers, a 2-2 effort at the free throw line, and a made three-point shot. The Fire held a 63-57 lead with just over a minute remaining in the third, but a five-point run in the final minute by the Gyrenes would conclude the period at a narrow 63-62 Fire lead.
 
The Gyrenes would counter the Fire's least productive offensive period with their best offensive period after outscoring the Fire 26-15 with a 52.6 field goal percentage and 66.7 three-point percentage, flipping the script with seven leading minutes out of 10. The lead was conceded by the Fire for the final time with six minutes remaining as the Gyrenes would go on to take the 88-78 victory.
 
Knoflach would conclude the contest with 21 points, nine rebounds, and four steals while Josselin Geer recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Emilia Sexton registered six assists.
 
The Fire will be back in action on Thursday for their home opener as they host the College of Coastal Georgia at 5:30 p.m.