The Malone University women's basketball team dropped to 3-5 on the season after suffering a 67-50 defeat to the University of Tampa Tuesday afternoon in western Florida. The host Spartans, who led from start to finish, improved to 10-2 on the season.
 
The beginning of Tuesday's contest played out much in the same way as it did on Monday when the Pioneers fell behind early to Florida Tech. The end results, however, were much different as the Pioneers failed to replicate a double-digit comeback on the second day of the Tampa Classic.
 
Recap
Tampa opened up a 7-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the contest before Chrissie Vaughan put Malone on the board with a corner three at the 7:21 mark of the first quarter. Tampa then went on a 13-2 run over the next five minutes to go up 20-5 and effectively put the game out of reach. A Paiten Strother layup inside of one minute left Malone trailing 20-7 going into the second quarter.
 
Malone closed to within seven points at the 2:51 mark of the second quarter but failed to get any closer for the remainder of the game. Five straight Pioneer points, a three by Dani Drayer and a pair of free throws by Ellen Doyle, cut the lead to 27-20 before the Spartans answered back almost immediately with a 10-0 run. A second-quarter buzzer-beater by Holly Groff, her second in as many days, made it a 37-22 contest at the half.
 
The Pioneers were outscored 22-16 in the third quarter as a Spartan three-pointer inside the final minute put in Tampa up by 58-38, marking the largest lead of the game.
 
That lead swelled to 60-38 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter before the Pioneers began to show a little life. A 12-2 run capped off by a Naomi Grandison three-pointer moved Malone to within four possessions with 3:17 remaining, but Tampa kept Malone scoreless the rest of the way and held on for the 67-50 non-conference victory.
 
Game Highlights
-The Spartans finished the day 22-of-43 (51.2%) from the field  and knocked down 19-of-26 free throws.
-Tampa, who entered the week among the DII leaders in field goal defense and scoring defense limited Malone to just 32.7% (17-of-52) shooting. The Pioneers were 7-of-21 from three and 9-of-10 at the free throw line.
-The Pioneers were outrebounded 36-25 and outscored 26-14 in the paint.

Malone individual Highlights
-Naomi Grandison finished with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including two three-pointers
-Chrissie Vaughan equaled Grandison with 10 points and a pair of treys. She also grabbed four rebounds and a steal
-Holly Groff totaled nine points, four rebounds, and a steal
-Starting together for the first time this season, Sydney Wentling and Paiten Strother each tallied five points
 
Tampa Individual Highlights
-Staja Tyghter led a trio of Spartans to reach double-digits in scoring, finishing with a game-high 16 points and four steals
-Karma Jeremie totaled 13 points and 10 rebounds
-Faith Sanders added 13 points and seven boards
 
Up Next
Malone will return to Canton to resume G-MAC play against Ohio Dominican on Saturday, December 30th.