QU women cannot sustain momentum in GLVC loss at home to Indianapolis

January 28, 2022 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor

Quincy University guard Beth Matas Martin, left, looks to attack while the Hawks' Sarah Nelson, right, gets tangled up with Indianapolis' Shira Sasson during the second half of Thursday night's game at Pepsi Arena. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Every big shot Maddie Spagnola hit needed a complementary piece.

That never happened.

Spagnola, a senior point guard on the Quincy University women’s basketball team, buried a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer Thursday night, only to see the Hawks miss their first two shots of the fourth quarter. She hit another 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter, tying Indianapolis at 46 with 7:47 to play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Pepsi Arena.

Again, the Hawks failed to follow up, turning the ball over twice and missing a 3-pointer on the next three possessions. That inability to sustain success led to Quincy never getting over the hump in a 64-59 loss.

“We cannot put the ball in the basket when we have to,” Spagnola said. “We get the stops we need. We just can’t execute off that.”

It happened too many times. The Hawks tied the game seven times, but only took the lead once. They tied the Greyhounds at 56 with 3:15 to play and again at 58 with 52 seconds remaining but didn’t take the lead either time.

“We had the momentum, but we couldn’t come down and get that score to ever take the lead,” QU coach Kaci Bailey said. “We have to work so hard to tie things back because we’ve dug ourselves a little bit of a hole that now we are fatigued. Then we rest on defense and give up a bucket.”

After Sarah Nelson scored off anm Emma Knipe assist to tie the game at 58, Indianapolis regained its edge when Shira Sasson scored on a layin with 39 seconds to play. QU’s Beth Matas Martin split a pair of free throws six seconds later, making it a one-point game.

The Greyhounds iced the game as Mickey Sasson made four consecutive free throws.

“These are the type of games that hurt the most,” said Spagnola, who had 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. “This type of pain stings.”

Nelson led the Hawks (6-13, 2-9 GLVC) with 19 points and Matas Martin added 14 points and four assists.

“My heart hurts for them,” Bailey said. “We played well enough that I felt like we should have won. … This is our best 40-minute game that we’ve put together all year.”