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

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Dec. 20, 2021) – A career-best performance by senior Hannah Thiele and freshman Emerson Whittenbaugh's first career double-double were highlights for the Loras College women's basketball team (7-3, 2-1 A-R-C) on Monday as the Duhawks treated their fans who made the trip down to the Sunshine State a memorable one with a 58-57 thrilling victory against RV York College (Pa.) (10-2) in the final game of the Eckerd College Holiday Classic.

Coming of her career-high performance less than 24 hours prior, American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Athlete of the Week Madison Fleckenstein put the Duhawks on the board first with a layup and a pair of free throws by Cierra Bachmann gave Loras a 4-0 lead early. The Spartans came back quickly to tie it and took a small run to pull ahead 9-6 with 4:09 left in the first quarter. Sami Martin made a layup to come within one point with two minutes to go before Whittenbaugh completed a three-point play to put the Duhawks up by two and a three-pointer by Sydney Schuler in the closing minute gave Loras the 14-11 advantage after the first ten minutes.

Schuler opened the second quarter just as she had closed the first with a three-pointer and Whittenbaugh made the layup off her offensive rebound to extend Loras' lead 19-11 with 7:55 left in the half. York rallied back to tie it with just over five minutes to play and found a burst in the final two minutes to take a 26-21 lead with one minute remaining. Martin cut into the Spartans' lead with a pair of free throws but the Duhawks trailed by three at the half.

York took its largest lead of the contest with an early run in the third quarter, pulling ahead 35-27 with 5:52 on the clock but four points by Jaime Ryan and a three-pointer by Megan Murray brought the Duhawks within one point with a little over three minutes left in the quarter. York answered back with basket to take a three point lead but Whittenbaugh quickly erased it and tied the game with a three-pointer off the pass from Murray. Thiele found space behind the arc and made a three-pointer on the next possession to put Loras ahead 40-37 with less than a minute remaining and the senior came through with a buzzer-beater layup off a Spartans turnover to give the Duhawks the 44-39 edge going into the fourth quarter.

Neither team was going down without a fight and the Spartans tried to get back into it with a quick layup to start the fourth quarter but Thiele again hit a three-pointer to keep York at bay and extend the lead 47-41. The Spartans came back within one point at the six minute mark but back-to-back baskets by Whittenbaugh helped the Duhawks keep their distance with 5:13 left in the game. York took back a brief lead with 3:43 to go, pulling ahead by one, but a layup by Martin put Loras back in control with a 55-54 lead with three minutes left. Thiele hit another three-pointer, igniting the Duhawks' bench and creating a deafening roar inside the gymnasium from the Duhawk faithful who made the trip and while the Spartans tried to make a late comeback, Loras limited them to free throw opportunities only and held on for a 58-57 win.

Whittenbaugh secured her first collegiate double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Martin had her second double-double of the trip with ten points and a team-high 12 boards. Thiele added a career-best performance with 11 points off the bench, shooting 3-5 from three-point range while Murray had a team-high five assists. Once again, the Duhawks won the battle of the boards with 42 rebounds to the Spartans' 33 and had a fantastic showing at the free-throw line, shooting 92 percent.

The Duhawks are back in action after Christmas, hosting the Loras Holiday Classic and playing Bethany Lutheran College on Dec. 29 and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Dec. 30.