Contact: Emily Adlfinger, Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7970

Nov. 6, 2021 – A monstrous third-quarter helped spark the RV Loras College women's basketball team's (1-0, 0-0 A-R-C) second-half domination against Elmhurst University (0-1) on Saturday as the Duhawks put up 55 points in the final 20 minutes to secure a 91-62 victory to open the 2021-22 campaign.

Sami Martin put up the first points for the Duhawks with a layup off a pass from Madison Haslow and helped the Duhawks double-up the Bluejays, 6-3 off another layup a minute later off another assist from Haslow. Elmhurst took a brief one-point lead off a pair of free throws and a layup but Loras took back the lead, 15-9 off layups by Madison Fleckenstein, freshman Emerson Whittenbaugh and Martin. Haslow added a layup of her own before Cierra Bachmann found her open beyond the arc for a three-pointer with 3:21 left in the quarter to give Loras a 20-11 lead. Fleckenstein got the Duhawks back on the scoring train with a layup after nearly two minutes of stalled offense for either team and Loras closed out the first quarter with a 22-16 lead.

Loras continued the hot streak in to the second quarter, taking a 31-22 lead halfway through after a three-pointer by Haslow but Elmhurst rallied back with a run of their own to pull within two points, 35-33, off a pair of free throws with 1:02 left in the half. The Bluejays tied the game, 35-35, with under a minute to play and took a lead heading into the break, up 37-36 with a layup in the final seconds.

Having the Bluejays in command of the game was not in the Duhawks' game plan and Martin put Loras back ahead with a pair of free throws before Fleckenstein made a layup off a pass from Martin to extend the lead in the opening minute of the third quarter. Bachmann drained two three-pointers to give Loras and and Jaime Ryan added one to give the Duhawks a 53-38 cushion with 6:14 left in the quarter before Allie Brownson joined in with two free throws to extend the lead. Lora kept the offense rolling and put up 34 points in the third quarter while limiting Elmhurst to only seven to take a 70-44 lead heading into the final ten minutes.

Both teams started the fourth quarter trading points but the Duhawks' lead was too great as jump shots by Andie Perch and Tess Johnson helped push Loras closer to victory and a free throw by Cassidy Randl sealed the first win of the season at Lillis Court.

Martin led the Duhawks' offense with 13 points and 4-4 shooting from the field while Fleckenstein (11), Haslow (10) and Bachmann (10) all posted double-figure points. Whittenbaugh led the team with seven rebounds in her collegiate debut while Bachmann had a team-high five assists and Haslow came away with three steals. The Duhawks were dominant in the paint, scoring 42 points, and capitalized with 21 second-chance points. Loras also out-rebounded the Bluejays with 44 to their 32, including 14 offensive rebounds.

The Duhawks are back in action inside the Lillis Athletic and Wellness Center on Friday, Nov. 12 for the first day of the Loras Tip-Off Classic, playing the University of Wisconsin-Stout at 7 P.M.