MT. PLEASANT, Iowa – The Spalding University women's basketball team lost their third consecutive game Thursday night, 69-54, to Iowa Wesleyan at Ruble Arena in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. The loss drops the Golden Eagles to 8-4 overall and 2-3 in conference, while IWU improves to 10-2 overall and 5-0 in SLIAC play.

Mackenzie Myers led Spalding scorers with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Kim Mingus added 13 points going a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Darby Massner paced IWU with 14 points.

Spalding led 13-8 after the first quarter. IWU jumped out to an 8-5 lead midway through the period following a Rachel Williams three-pointer. The Golden Eagles clamped down on defense holding IWU scoreless the final 4:57 flipping a three point deficit into a five point lead at 13-8 following a Julie Skaggs made jumper.

Iowa Wesleyan used a 7-0 run to start the second quarter pulling ahead of SU 15-13. Both teams battled back and forth. Maddie Martin converted a layup giving the Golden Eagles a two point lead, but a pair of Dakota Flesner free throws knotted the score at 27-27 heading into the halftime break.

Kaylee Moselesy knocked down a pair of three-pointers helping IWU score the first eight points of the second half. Trailing 35-27, Spalding answered with four straight points on a pair of Myers layups cutting the deficit to three points. However, SU allowed the Tigers to score eight of the next ten points to make the score 43-33, and Iowa Wesleyan extended their lead to 14 heading into the fourth quarter.

Mackenzie Myers knocked down a jumper to open the final period cutting the SU deficit to 12, but the Tigers countered with a pair of three-pointers increasing the deficit to 18 points, the largest of the game, and Spalding would never get within single digits falling 69-54.

The Golden Eagles will be back in action Saturday taking on Principia in Elsah, Ill. at 2:00 p.m. EST.