CANTON, Ohio. — The Malone University women's basketball team (15-10, 11-6 G-MAC) fell in a nail-biting 62-60 contest to Ursuline College (17-8, 10-7 G-MAC) on Thursday evening, February 22 at Osborne Hall.

The Pioneers struggled to get things going in the first quarter, scoring their first points of the game through Anna Krupa's reverse layup five minutes into the game. The hosts turned things up a notch in the second quarter and outscored the Arrows 22-13 to lead 31-25 at the break. 

In the second half, Ursuline relied on a big third quarter where they net themselves 10 points to take back control of the game. Despite mounting a comeback in the late stages of the fourth quarter, the Pioneers fell by just two points at 62-60.

Despite the close loss, Malone saw standout performances from several key players. Erin Kaufman led the charge with an impressive double-double, tallying 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Kyli Horn also made a significant impact, contributing 12 points, including two crucial three-pointers. On the defensive end, Brinn Hunt stood out for Malone with her stellar play-making, dishing out seven assists while also securing four rebounds.

Both teams shot 33.3% (4-12) from beyond the arc and had 14 turnovers apiece. Ursuline had a slight advantage in field goal percentage, shooting 47.1% compared to Malone's 42.4%. Ultimately, Ursuline's efficiency at the free-throw line made the difference in this tightly-contested matchup.

What's Next

The Pioneers are back in action this Saturday, February 24 as they host No. 1 Ashland University at 1:00 p.m. in Osborne Hall in their final home game of the regular season.

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