Late lead slips away as QU women’s basketball team opens season with overtime loss

HILLSDALE, Mich. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team put itself in position to rubber stamp dramatic 365-day turnaround.

All the Hawks lacked was a finishing touch.

Sarah Nelson’s layin with 2 minutes, 27 seconds remaining in regulation gave Quincy a six-point lead over Ursuline College in the first game of the Midwest Regional Crossover on Saturday at Dawn Tibbets Potter Arena. However, the Hawks made just one of their next eight field goal attempts, allowing the Arrows to force overtime and pull out a 64-57 victory.

A year ago, Quincy opened its season with a 95-57 loss to Ursuline.

This time, a sizzling start offensively put the Hawks in position to change the outcome. Quincy went 12 of 21 from the field in the first half, scored 21 points in the first quarter and went to halftime ahead 30-25.

However, turnovers and off-kilter shooting led to the offense tapering off. Quincy was held to single-digit scoring in the second and fourth quarters and finished the game shooting 37.5 percent from the field — 25.7 percent in the second half and overtime combined. The Hawks also committed 28 turnovers overall.

Still, the Hawks had a chance to win at the end.

Tied at 51 in the final minute, the Arrows stole a Nelson pass, moved into the frontcourt and drew a foul on Emma Knipe with 15 seconds to go. Ursuline’s Alyssa Evans missed both free throws and Nelson grabbed the defensive rebound.

Quincy took a timeout, but the Hawks were unable to get a shot off in the final 15 seconds, which sent the game to overtime.

Neither team scored in the first two minutes of the extra period before Evans used a three-point play to give the Arrows the lead for good.

Beth Matas Martin led the Hawks with 15 points, while Cymirah Williams came off the bench to finish with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Evans led the Arrows with 27 points.