LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Spalding University women's basketball team suffered a tough loss to Principia College, 59-51, Tuesday evening at Derek Smith Gymnasium. The loss drop the Golden Eagles record to 15-7 overall and 9-6 in SLIAC play. The win brings Principia to 4-16 overall and 4-11 in conference.
 
Maya Hardin led the Golden Eagles with 11 points and nine rebounds. Maddie Martin followed her with 10 points while snagging four rebounds. Rounding it out for SU was Alex Martin and Brandy Hunter, who both finished with nine points. Kara Johnson led Principia with a game-high total of 30 points.
 
Mackenzie Meyers started the first quarter with a layup made in the first few seconds of the game. A trip to the line by Principia's Kara Johnson would knot the score at 2-2, and a Johnson jumper on the Panthers next possession would push them ahead by two. With 3:14 left in the first quarter, Prin's Megan Selby connected from long range to push the SU deficit to five, but Kim Mingus answered with a three-pointer of her own to cut it back to two. Mingus would go on to finish the first quarter making a layup with the help of Skaggs, ending the first quarter 11-all.
 
The second quarter started to heat up as Hunter made a three-pointer, pushing the Golden Eagles ahead, 14-13, 42 seconds in. Both teams had trouble finding a basket over the next five minutes until back-to-back Maddie Martin layups put the Golden Eagles out front, 20-17. Principia would answer with a three-pointer at the 2:04 mark, tying the game at 20, and converted an and-one on their next possession to regain the lead, 23-20. Skaggs knocked down a pair of free throws to slice the margin to one, but a Johnson jumper extended it back to three heading into the break.
 
Alex Martin jumpstarted the second half for the Golden Eagles driving for a layup, which was followed by a Hardin layup giving Spalding a 26-25 lead. The third quarter was a power struggle as the teams constantly matched one another. A Rachel Perea three-pointer sparked a 14-0 Panther run to close the third quarter as the Golden Eagles trailed, 43-31, heading into the final ten minutes.
 
Principia opened the final frame on a 5-2 run extending their lead to 15 points, the largest of the game.  Hardin scored five consecutive points, Maddie Martin converted a pair of layups, and Alex Martin knocked down a jumper as part of an 11-2 SU run to cut the margin back to single-digits at 50-44. However, that's as close as Spalding would get falling, 59-51.
 
The Golden Eagles will be back in action on Saturday, February 13^th in Jacksonville, Ill. as they take on the MacMurray Highlanders. Tip-off is at 2 pm EST.