QU women rally after tough start, fall short in GLVC loss at Lewis

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A ragged start offensively made a comeback a challenge, but the Quincy University women’s basketball team nearly pulled it off.

After trailing Lewis by as many as 14 points in the first half of Thursday night’s Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Neil Carey Arena, the Hawks trimmed the deficit to one in the third quarter and tied the game at 46 on the first possession of the fourth quarter.

However, Lewis made six free throws in the final 51 seconds to stave off Quincy and secure a 65-57 victory.

The Hawks (10-12, 6-8 GLVC) allowed back-to-back 3-pointers by the Flyers’ Jenna Badali and Grace Hilber to open the game and went just 4 of 16 from the field in the first quarter, getting outscored 19-8. Getting to the free-throw line eight times in the second quarter helped QU change the offensive flow and score 22 points, trimming the deficit to 37-30 by halftime.

Quincy held Lewis to nine points in the third quarter and pulled within 44-43 on Cymirah Williams’ jumper with 40 seconds to go. Hilber scored with 13 seconds left to give the Flyers a three-point lead to start the fourth quarter.

Less than 20 seconds into the final stanza, the Hawks’ Janiece Dawson buried a 3-pointer to tie the game. The Flyers (13-8, 9-4 GLVC) answered 19 seconds later and never gave up the lead again.

Beth Matas Martin led Quincy with 16 points and five assists.