WAVERLY, Iowa – Wednesday night, the University of Dubuque women's basketball team took the court on the 38^th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The Spartans faced stiff competition on the road against nationally ranked #7 Wartburg College Knights. At half the Spartans held a three point advantage over the Knights but a fourth quarter shooting slump resulted in a 63-51 loss.

From the opening tip the Spartans jumped all over the Knights on both ends of the court racing out to a 17-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. A total of seven different Spartans scored in the quarter including Karsen Kershner who scored the first four points of the game. Defensively the Spartans shut down the Knights holding them to 13% shooting from the field on 2-15 attempts. 

The Knights started to scratch their way back into the game but Megan Teal's two threes kept the Spartans ahead 25-23. Morgan Hawkins provided a stretch of offense for the Spartans as she scored five straight points extending the lead out 30-23. In the final two minutes the Knights closed out the half on a 6-2 run cutting into the Spartans lead 32-29 at half. 

To begin the third quarter, the Spartans quickly increased their lead back out to eight with a layup by Teal and a three from City Figlinski. The perimeter shooting for the Knights proved to be the difference in the quarter as the Knights made six threes in the quarter as the Spartans trailed 51-47 heading into the fourth.

Offensively, the Spartans could not get anything to fall as they started the quarter 0-6 from the field. At 4:15 the Spartans first points of the quarter came the free throw line as Hawkins sank both making it a two possession game. During the final minutes the Knights outscored the Spartans 10-2 for a 63-51 loss. 

Megal Teal was the lone Spartan in double-figures as she finished with 11 points and a team high seven rebounds. Tabria Thomas scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds. The Spartans shot 38% from the field and scored 26 points in the paint.

The Spartans are now 14-8 overall and 8-5 in conference play. 

Up Next
The Spartans will return to the Stoltz Sports Center on Saturday for Senior Day against the Dutch of Central College. The game is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.