Marion, Ind. – The Marian women's basketball team took their first loss of the season Saturday, falling to No. 4 Carroll 69-61 in their second game of the IWU Leah Whittaker Memorial Tournament. Marian trailed at the half and made a late push, but were unable to take the lead as the loss drops their overall record to 5-1 this season.
Carroll scored the first bucket of the game, but it was Marian who got out to the 7-4 lead after Aliyah Evans knocked down the jumper. The Fighting Saints responded and tied the game up at 11-11, as both teams traded points until 4:10 left to play in the first when Evans hit another jumper that sparked a 7-0 run to increase their lead to 20-13. Carroll managed the next three baskets, but it was the Knights up one after quarter one, 20-19.
The second quarter was another even matchup between the teams, but this time it was the Fighting Saints having the 4-0 run to take the lead before Evans put a stop to the run with a three ball to even things up at 23 apiece with 7:02 left to play in the first half. The remainder of the half was a lot of back-and-forth action as the quarter saw three ties throughout. However, it was Carroll making the late push and taking the lead 30-26 before Kenna Kirby canned a long ball to put Marian within one. Evans had the last bucket of the quarter as she knocked down the jumper with 1:16 left, but it was the Fighting Saints going into the locker room at halftime with 35-31 lead.
Marian got things going after the break with Kirby hitting a jumper to put the Knights within two. Carroll answered back as the two squads traded points until the 6:22 mark when the Fighting Saints put together a strong third quarter performance by going on a 12-6 spurt before Allison Bosse would be fouled and hit a free throw to stop the momentum. The run by Carroll helped outscore Marian 22-12 in the period, giving them the 57-43 lead going into the final quarter of action.
Down by 14 going into the final 10 minutes, Marian did not back down as they came out with the momentum by scoring five straight points all coming from Abbey McNally to cut lead back down to single digits at 57-48. Carroll responded by hitting a three and a pair of freebies to put their lead back to 14. Once again it was a jumper from Evans to start a spurt for Marian as Bosse, Olivia Faust, and McNally all were able to hit to help a Marian 13-0 run. With only a 1:02 left in the game, Marian was forced to foul, and Carroll executed from the line by hitting both to put the lead back up to eight. Marian outscored Carroll 18-12 in the final quarter of play, but unfortunately would come up just short, falling 69-61.
Four players scored in double digits for Marian, with McNally leading with a season-high 17 points, while also pulling down six rebounds. Evans went 7-11 from the field to have a career-best 15 points, while also adding six assists. Bosse scored 12 points and Faust had 10, while Kirby ended with five. Sara Majorosova dished out six assists to go along with four steals.
The Knights will return to action Wednesday at 7 PM when the take on Taylor to start Crossroads League play.
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