LEAVENWORTH - The Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes dropped a 79-76 decision to the University of Saint Mary Spires on Saturday night at the Ryan Sports Center.
The Coyotes rocketed out to a 7-0 lead to start the game with all seven points coming from Jocelyn Hall, but Saint Mary was able to get back within two points at the 4:36 mark of the first quarter.
A 3-pointer by Izzy McCool pushed the Coyotes out to a 16-11 lead, and another bucket by Hall gave KWU a 24-15 lead after a quarter.
Emma Gertken hit a 3-pointer with 7:41 left in the second quarter to give the Coyotes a 33-22 lead, but Saint Mary scored seven of the next nine points to cut the difference to 35-29 with 6:48 left.
A free throw from Maile Hrabe gave KWU a 38-29 lead with 4:42 left, but after a Saint Mary 3-pointer, the lid went on the basket for both teams as no one scored over the final 4:28 of the half sending the game to intermission at 38-32.
Wesleyan held a 44-36 lead with eight minutes left in the third when Saint Mary closed the gap, getting within one at 49-48 with 5:32 left in the quarter.
A 3-pointer by Adriana DiPrima gave the Coyotes a 54-48 lead, but Saint Mary came back and tied it at 56 with 2:07 to go. Odessa Ozuna's 3-pointer with 29 seconds left in the half would give the Coyotes a 59-56 lead after three quarters.
Saint Mary tied it at 61 with 7:12 left in the game, but the Coyotes used a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to take a 71-63 lead with 4:28 left on a bucket by Anna Jueneman.
Eight straight by Saint Mary again tied it at 71, and the Spires were able to take a 79-74 lead with 12 seconds left.
Hall led the Coyotes with 15 points, while Gertken, McCool and Jueneman had 13 each. Gertken led the Coyotes with six rebounds. Ozuna handed out six assists. KWU was 30 of 66 from the field for 45.5 percent for the game.