Huntington, Ind. - For the first time since January 25, 2014, the Marian women's basketball team has fallen against Huntington University, as the fourth-ranked Knights fell on Saturday afternoon by a 77-66 final score against the (RV) Foresters. Marian's loss snaps a 23-game winning streak over Huntington, as they slip to 17-2 overall on the season and 7-2 in the Crossroads League.

Marian got off to a quick start in the opening quarter Saturday, as Abbey McNally scored the game's first four points, but the lead would slowly falter as Huntington settled into play. A combination of scores, including a three-point field goal from Teegan Acres with 6:23 to play in the quarter, allowed Huntington to control the pace, as they took hold of the lead for good. The Foresters led by as many as 10 in the first quarter, but the Knights were able to chop the deficit and stay within three scores by quarter's end, thanks to a pair of Kiley McNally jump shots.

Huntington would answer McNally as the quarter expired with a three-point shot to take a 23-14 lead after one period, and in the second period, the Foresters continued to attack the Knights, holding a double-digit lead throughout the period. The Foresters jaunted on an 11-0 run to start the second quarter, only to see the spree snap by an Olivia Faust step-back three-pointer.

Despite the three that ignited a 4-0 sprint, Marian was unable to get in sync offensively, playing with different lineups on the floor due to foul trouble amassed by Kiley and Abbey McNally in the first quarter. A five-point scoring burst from Madisyn Bailey in the last two minutes of the half helped Marian whittle the margin to 12, as the Knights would trail 40-28 at the break.

Looking to find fire on offense as the second half began, the Knights got out to a slow start, as Kenna Kirby's three-point make was surrounded by three Huntington makes from the floor. Taylor Double would halt the run with a three of her own, but as the quarter progressed, so too did the foul count, as the two teams were whistled for 21 combined fouls in the period, making offensive continuity hard to come by. Huntington would convert 11 of its 18 free throw attempts in the period, while making five of seven shots from the floor, outscoring the Knights in total 22-21 in the period.

A nine-point effort from Madisyn Bailey in the third quarter kept the Knights in the fight, as five free throws from the point guard allowed Marian to hang within five scores, trailing 62-49 after three periods.

Looking to make a dramatic comeback, the Knights turned to Taylor Double, who sparked a 7-2 run with five points of her own in the first three minutes of the fourth, bringing the deficit to eight points. Huntington would snap the run with a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 10 at a 66-56 score, but Marian stayed on the attack, getting a three-point play from Abbey McNally to inch to a five-point gap. 

Taylor Double sank two free throws with 4:33 to play to bring the game to a 66-61 mark, but a Kyndell Jochim three-pointer on the other end immediately drowned the Knights' offense, as the road team missed each of its next six shots, seeing the Huntington lead grow to 12. McNally and Bailey were able to help cut the score to nine in the final 90 seconds, but the late Huntington push was too much to rebound from, as the Knights fell by the final of 77-66.

Marian's loss was the first against Huntington in 4,375 days, with Huntington snapping a 23-game Knight winning streak on Saturday. The last loss in the series for Marian came on January 25, 2014, the second of two in the 2013-14 series under-then head coach Katie Gearlds in her first season leading the Knights.

The Knights recorded their second-worst shooting performance of the season on Saturday, making 23 of 77 attempts from the floor, in addition to making 14 of 21 attempts at the charity stripe. Conversely, Huntington made 56.1 percent of its shots from the field on Saturday, while sinking 27 of 37 free throw shots. 

Madisyn Bailey was a bright spot in the loss, scoring a career-high 22 points while logging four steals and rebounds. Taylor Double scored 12 points and had five steals, and Abbey McNally had 12 points to go with nine rebounds, snapping her four-game double-double streak. 

Marian will restart the second half of Crossroads League play next Saturday, hosting Bethel University at 1:00 p.m.

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