Box Score

DUBUQUE, Iowa - The Elmhurst College women's basketball team dropped to 0-3 on the season following a 59-48 loss at Loras College.

A poor second half of shooting doomed the Bluejays as Loras (2-2) outscored Elmhurst 33-17 in the second halff to pull away for the 11-point victory.

The Bluejays built an eight-point advantage in the opening half before Loras battle back to knot the score at 22-22. Elmhurst closed the half on a 9-4 run to lead 31-26 at halftime. The Bluejays shot 42.3 percent (11-of-26) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes while Loras shot only 30.0 percent (9-of-30), including just 11.1 percent (1-of-9) from three-point range.

Loras quickly surged ahead in the second half, using a 16-6 run over the opening seven minutes to build a five-point cushion. The Bluejays pulled to within a bucket after a Meghan Merklein jumper with 11 minutes remaining, but the DuHawks responded with a 12-4 run over the next nine minutes to build a 56-46 lead with two minutes remaining. The Bluejays shot just 2-of-11 and committed five turnovers over the nine minute span.

Elmhurst finished the contest shooting 35.8 percent (19-of-53) from the field, including 36.4 percent (4-of-11) from beyond the arc. Loras shot 39.7 percent (23-of-58) from the floor, including 50.0 percent (12-of-28) in the second half. 

Merklein led the Bluejays in the loss with 12 points. Kim Schwerdtmann and Haley Roe both came off the bench to score 10 points apiece for Elmhurst. Rashida Joiner and Stephanie Mitchell added five points each while Megan Ney pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.

Lindsey LaBadie paced the DuHawks with 16 points and seven rebounds. Alex Hudson chipped in with 13 points while Niki Rivers scored nine. Brittany Kent added seven points and a game-high nine rebounds. 

Elmhurst will look to score its first win when the Bluejays travel to the California Lutheran University Tournament.