Box Score DURANGO, Colo. – The St. Edward's Women's Basketball program found themselves in a memorable contest against Fort Lewis on Friday evening at Whalen Gymnasium. The Hilltoppers dropped their first game of the season to the Skyhawks, 78-76 in overtime. St. Edward's is now 7-1 overall.
 
Head coach J.J. Riehl commented after the game, "Obviously tonight did not end the way wanted but I couldn't be more proud of our fight and persistence. Nothing really went our way tonight, and there was nothing but adversity and we continued to keep fighting."
 
St. Edward's started the game slow as they were down 9-3 in the opening four minutes of play. The Hilltoppers clawed their way back on a 7-3 run led by Kat Brisbane and ERIKA ROUSCULP to cut the lead to 12-10.
 
MILEKA LOYDRAKE tied the game at 14 with 11:50 left in the first half. STEPHANIE DEKKERS followed with a short jumper giving the Hilltoppers their first lead since leading 1-0 to start the game. MADDIE WHEELER scored the next 11 points for St. Edward's to help keep them in striking distance.
 
"Our guard play was really strong tonight," said Riehl after the game. "Maddie and Mel were huge for us as they have been all year."
 
MILEKA LOYDRAKE and Dekkers scored five-straight points giving the Hilltoppers their largest lead, 33-28 with just under three minutes left in the half. Wheeler drained a bucket from downtown as time expired and St. Edward's went into the break, leading 36-32.
 
The Skyhawks opened the half on a 4-0 run, but the Hilltoppers responded with a 6-0 run extending their lead to six, 42-36. PERI EWIN and Dekkers both knocked down buckets from beyond the arc, extending the lead to 50-43 with 12:30 left in regulation. Ewin drained another trey at the six-minute mark for a 57-51 Hilltopper lead.
 
With just under five minutes left, Fort Lewis went on a 6-0 run and tied the game for the eighth time at 62. Michelle Turner gave the Skyhawks the three-point lead with 28 seconds left. Wheeler attempted to tie the game, but missed and Ewin grabbed the offensive board. After receiving a pass from Dekkers, Ewin drained the baseline three pointer with two seconds left, sending the game to overtime.
 
"Peri came off the bench and played really well," said Riehl. "The shot she hit to send us to overtime was huge. I'm happy for her, she has really struggled and was due to knock down a big shot."
 
Wheeler gave the Hilltoppers the early two-point lead in overtime, but the Skyhawks answered with a 7-0 run. Loydrake cut the Fort Lewis lead to three points with a jumper, but the Skyhawks responded and once again had the five-point lead late in overtime.
 
Loydrake made a lay-up to cut the lead 76-73 with just under 90 seconds remaining. After a good defensive possession that led to a Loydrake steal, she tied the game with a baseline three-point basket.
 
Erika Richards gave Fort Lewis the lead 78-76 with a jumper from outside the paint. HALEY MEEKINS attempted to tie the game with a turnaround jumper, but it didn't fall and the Hilltoppers fell for the first time this season.
 
The Hilltoppers had two 20-point scorers as Loydrake scored 21 and Wheeler chipped in 20. Dekkers and Ewin both scored 11 apiece. Rousculp controlled the glass for St. Edward's as she grabbed eight rebounds.
 
Riehl concluded, "We've got some things we need to really emphasize and work on this week in preparing for Oklahoma Christian."
 
The Hilltoppers will be back in action Thursday as they travel to take on Oklahoma Christian to return to Heartland Conference play at 7:00 p.m. Live video and stats will be available through the Eagle athletic website.