FOND DU LAC, Wis. - An 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter put the Eagles ahead by two Wednesday night at Sadoff Gymnasium before Marian University (6-16, 4-13 NACC) pulled away and hit free throws to put the game out of reach. The Eagles couldn't complete the season sweep over the Sabres and dropped to 6-16 overall and 5-12 in the NACC with the loss.
Marian started extremely slow from the field, making just 2 of its first 18 field goal attempts. The Sabres' cold spell allowed the Eagles to grab a 10-5 lead through the first quarter.
A 7-0 run capped by a Kortni Kohl layup in the second quarter put the Eagles up 22-14. Two-point baskets by Zoey Dougherty and Allison Gordon followed by a conventional three-point play from Cole Jordee gave the Eagles a 29-19 lead late in the second period. A Marian free throw and a three-pointer at the buzzer made it 29-23 heading into the locker room.
Marian started the second half on a 7-0 run to regain the lead and would lead by six going into the fourth and final quarter after outscoring the Eagles 19-7 in the third. That's when Edgewood College got hot again and regained the lead on eight-straight points on baskets from four different players to open the fourth.
Marian then locked down defensively and went up four with just 1:38 remaining, forcing the Eagles to begin fouling. The Sabres then hit 10-straight free throws before finally missing a shot from the charity stripe with just five seconds left. By then Marian had built a 64-55 lead.
Jordee scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half and recorded her second-straight double-digit scoring performance. Pope had 16 to lead the Eagles on 6-of-10 shooting and hauled in a career-high 10 rebounds for her first career double-double. Sierra Jiran was third on the team with nine points while Sydney Smith had a career high eight rebounds.
Jessica Roberts paced the Marian offense with 32 points on 7-of-11 shooting and went 14-of-16 from the free throw line.
The Eagles will resume action on Saturday, February 13 for a 4:15 pm game against Benedictine University. The game will be played at the Rice Center in Lisle, Ill.
