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

Jan. 22, 2022 – The Loras College women's basketball team (12-5, 6-2 A-R-C) honored its senior class of Maesyn Benjamin, Jaime Ryan, Sydney Schuler and Hannah Thiele with a statement victory on Saturday as the Duhawks' stifling first-half offense set the tone for a Senior Day 88-57 win against the Buena Vista University Beavers (4-10, 2-6 A-R-C).

The Beavers took a brief early lead until a three-pointer by Cierra Bachmann sparked a 6-0 run that put the Duhawks ahead 10-6 with 5:53 on the clock. Buena Vista chipped in a quick bucket to stop the run but the Duhawks picked right back up with an 11-0 spurt in the final four minutes to close out the first quarter with a 21-10 lead. Bachmann opened the second quarter with a quick score to extend the lead and Schuler drained a three with Thiele tacking on a pair of free throws and a three-pointer of her own to lead 31-13 with 6:47 left. As has been the story recently for Loras, Thiele led a barrage of three pointers with two of her own, one by Emerson Whittenbaugh and Ryan knocked down one as well as Loras pulled away with a commanding 43-17 lead with three minutes to go in the half. Buena Vista scored one more time to finish out the half but the Duhawks struck twice and amassed a 48-19 advantage heading into the second half.

The Duhawks strengthened their hold on the game in the third quarter and took a 69-29 lead with one minute left. The Duhawks closed out the third quarter with their largest lead of the contest after a jump shot by Madison Fleckenstein in the final 30 seconds. The Beavers found their groove at the start of the fourth quarter but still trailed the Duhawks, 72-37 and more three-pointers by Cassidy Maroszek and Cassidy Randl kept the offense rolling, leading 80-42 with six minutes to play. The Beavers had their best ten minutes in the fourth quarter, shooting 50 percent from the field and 60 percent from three-point range but the Duhawks finished out the game with a layup by Whittenbaugh and a free throw by Maroszek to put the final exclamation point on the senior day win.

Bachmann led the charge of five Duhawks scoring in double figures with 15 points followed by Sami Martin with 13, Thiele and Fleckenstein with 12 apiece and Whittenbaugh added 11 of her own. Martin had a team-high seven boards with Madison Haslow, Daniella Jarrell dished out four assists, and both Bachmann and Schuler had three steals. As a team, Loras shot 48 percent from the field and saw 50 points come off the bench in the win.

The Duhawks are on the road on Wednesday, Jan. 26 in Indianola to take on the No. 6-ranked Simpson College Storm. Tip-off is set for 5:30 P.M.