CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - Seeking their first win in Eby Fieldhouse since December 1, 2008, the Loras College Women's Basketball team traveled to Coe College for an Iowa Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon. Junior Kaitlin Phillips led the way with a double-double, scoring 13 points and adding 11 rebounds, but her efforts were not enough as Loras fell 72-65.

Charged with the task of shutting down one of the top posts in the Iowa Conference, sophomore Lori Obendorf had to turn in one her best defensive efforts of the season for the Duhawks to escape with a win. In the first half, Obendorf did just that.

The standout center held Coe's Megan Hayes without a basket for the first 13 minutes of the game and allowed her to score just four points in the opening frame. The defensive clinic put on by Obendorf, allowed the Duhawks (7-6) to take a 7-5 lead with 17:06 to play.

Over the next five minutes, both teams saw their offenses stall, as neither team could bury a basket. The drought came to a close after a 3-pointer by Coe put them in front 8-7.

In the final eight minutes of the half, the Kohawks' (9-4) 3-point shooting heated up as they shot 50 percent in the first half. Meanwhile, Loras' shooting struggles continued, shooting just 16.2 percent from the field. The lack of touches by the Duhawks' post on the offensive end allowed Coe to cheat on Loras' perimeter shooters, giving them a 32-21 lead heading into the break.

The Duhawks returned to the court in the second half determined to chip away at the deficit. In the early parts of the closing frame, Loras trailed by as many as 18 before a 16-4 run brought them within three with five minutes to play. 

While seniors Carly Goede and Victoria May fueled the Duhawks comeback effort, Coe's Megan Hayes rattled off 10 straight points to give the Kohawks a seven point lead with 1:40 remaining. 

As the last minute ticked away, Loras went with a small lineup featuring Goede, Kaitlin Phillips, sophomores Kathleen Cabrera and Naomi Phillips, and freshman Megan Jones in hopes of scoring from beyond the arc. Despite three's from Kaitlin Phillips and Goede, the Duhawks comeback attempt fell short as Coe converted from the line down the stretch. 

With the 72-65 loss, Loras falls to 7-6 overall and 1-1 in Iowa Conference play. 

Game Changer
After pulling within three points late in the second half, the 

Key Stat
Loras lost the turnover battle, committing 13 while forcing Coe into just seven. The Kohawks made the Duhawks pay, converting their turnovers into a 16-2 advantage in points scored off turnovers.

Notables

• The Duhawks out-rebounded Coe 48-36, including a 19-10 advantage on the offensive boards
• Junior Kaitlin Phillips' second double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and one steal) of the season led the Duhawks in the loss. Her 11 rebounds were a career-high
• Sophomore Lori Obendorf finished with game-high's in rebounds (15) and blocks (6)
• Loras tied a season-best shooting percentage, shooting 88.9 (16 of 18) from the free throw line

Quotables
Justin Heinzen, head coach
On the game against Coe ...
"Lori did a great job containing Hayes in the first half. In the second half, they got her the ball deeper in the paint and she was more successful. I thought that we really played physical this game, much more than we have this season, and competed. We had good looks throughout the game but couldn't convert in the first half."

Keys to Wednesday's game against Simpson ...
"Looking ahead to Simpson, we'll probably get a lot of the same looks. The game on Wednesday is going to come down to turnovers. If we win the turnover battle, we can win."

Next Up
Loras looks to get back in the win column at home on Wednesday when they welcome the Simpson College Storm to the Athletic & Wellness Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.