On Tuesday, the Saints' women’s basketball team traveled to play IU Kokomo and suffered a close 69-65 loss.
Holy Cross struck first with freshman forward Allie Caldwell jumper in the first twenty seconds of the game. Neither team scored for the next few minutes until senior forward Grace Adams added a free throw to make the score 3-0. Two free throws and a three-point shot from IU made the score 5-3. Holy Cross managed to pull ahead at the end of the quarter, taking a 14-9 lead into the second.
Sophomore guard Lilly Toppen kept the ball rolling in the second quarter with a layup to make the score 16-11. After a jump shot from IU, junior guard Audrey Tallent made a layup to bring the score to 18-13. As the two teams battled for the lead, a jump shot from Tallent and a layup from IU tied the score at 20. IU pulled ahead with a three-point shot but the Saints quickly responded with a layup and free throw from sophomore forward Brooke Lindesmith. IU managed to pull ahead and finish the second quarter with a 30-27 lead.
Adams made two free throws to open up the third quarter and close the gap to 30-29. A layup from IU and a three-point shot from Caldwell made the tied the score again at 32 points. IU pulled away with a 5-0 run to make the score 37-33. Caldwell made a layup and three free throws to help the Saints regain a 38-37 lead. The two teams went back and forth, the score eventually tied at 40. The two teams managed to stay within a point or two of each other throughout the rest of the quarter, but two layups from IU gave them the 51-44 lead heading into the fourth.
IU carried momentum into the quarter, scoring the first three points to open up a 54-44 lead. Lindesmith's basket stopped the bleeding to make the score 54-46, but The Cougars managed to stay ahead for the remainder of the quarter. They closed out the game with a 69-65 victory.
Caldwell led the way for the Saints with 17 points alongside Adams who finished with 16. Lindesmith also contributed ten points for the Saints offense. On the glass, Lindesmith led with 11 rebounds while Adams finished with ten.
The Saints wrap up their two-game road trip against Michigan-Dearborn on Saturday with tip-off set for 12 p.m.
