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

Jan. 8, 2022 – Though a schedule change delayed the Loras College women's basketball team's first game of the new year, the Duhawks (9-4, 4-1 A-R-C) did not miss a beat and cruised to a 96-75 victory inside the Patrick J. Lillis Athletic and Wellness Center on Saturday against Central College (2-8, 1-4 A-R-C).

Loras took a 6-0 lead with layups by Cierra Bachmann, Sami Martin and Emerson Whittenbaugh and kept the momentum through the majority of the first quarter, pulling ahead by as much as nine, 18-9, with just under two minutes to play. The Dutch knocked down a three-pointer to close out the quarter but Loras led 18-12. Central came out with two layups to start the second quarter but Loras answered back with a 12-0 run to take a 30-16 lead with 5:03 left in the half. A layup for the Dutch stopped the run for a moment until Jaime Ryan drained a three-pointer off a fast break pass from Bachmann to spark seven more unanswered points. Sydney Schuler made a three-pointer off another assist from Bachmann with under a minute on the clock and took a 43-23 lead going into the break.

Both teams reaped benefits of excellent offense in the third quarter but the Duhawks continued to hold the advantage. Madison Fleckenstein hit a three-pointer and followed up with a jumper on the next possession for a 22-point lead in favor of Loras. Both teams traded points in the opening minutes of the half but the Dutch found a brief surge for five straight points to chip into the lead and added a seven point run with 4:30 left in the quarter to pull within ten points and cut Loras' lead 59-49. Martin put Loras ahead 63-52 with a three-point play and a three-pointer by Hannah Thiele gave Loras a 71-60 lead heading into the final ten minutes.

Whittenbaugh opened up the fourth quarter with a layup and pair of free throws to help the Duhawks put distance between the Dutch and drawing a foul beyond the arc, Fleckenstein made three free throws and Thiele knocked down another three-pointer for a 6-0 run that grew Loras' lead, 85-65. Madison Haslow hit three pointers in the final three minutes to put Loras up 94-69 and despite a five-point burst by the Dutch in the two minutes, the Duhawks celebrated the new year with a win.

Martin led the charge with 21 points, tying her season high, as one of four Duhawks in double-digits with Haslow posting 17 off the bench in her first game back from injury and Flecksenstein and Whittenbaugh scoring 15 and 11, respectively. Haslow had a team-high nine rebounds and went 3-5 beyond the arc with three assists. Bachmann had six assists. As a team, the Duhawks shot 82 percent from the free-throw line but the Dutch held the advantage with 48 percent shooting from the field, including a massive third quarter where they scored 37 points and shot 80 percent from the field and 75 percent from three-point range. Loras also felt the energy in the third quarter, shooting a game-high 57 percent.

The Duhawks will face crosstown rival the University of Dubuque on Wednesday, Jan. 12. Tip-off at the Stoltz Sports Center is set for 5:30 P.M.