PELLA, Iowa – Behind a 19-point night from Claire Wagner, the Loras College women's basketball team took down Central College 72-43 on Wednesday night inside P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium.

Loras (5-9 overall, 1-4 American Rivers Conference) raced out to a 27-10 lead after the first period thanks to 60-percent shooting from the floor in the first 10 minutes.

Ashtyn Kelderman and Kiah Davis continued the hot shooting and knocked down back-to-back threes to give the Duhawks a 33-10 lead two minutes into the second quarter. Loras was able to hold on to their lead and took that 23-point lead into halftime.

Both teams traded baskets in the third quarter before Loras really broke the game open in the fourth. A Page Erickson layup capped off a 11-2 run over the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter to take their largest lead of the game (69-38) and ultimately give the Duhawks their first win of the new year.

Wagner added six rebounds to go along with her game-high 19 points. The senior forward was 9-of-11 from the floor in 22 minutes of action. Kelderman and Lexi Beier followed with 11 points each, while Kelderman also grabbed six rebounds and Beier added three assists and zero turnovers to her stat line.

Central (7-6, 2-2) was led by Maddie Backer with 11 points and Emily Naughton added seven.

Up Next: Loras will return to the court on Saturday, Jan. 10 to take on the Beavers from Buena Vista University. Tip-off from the Lillis Athletic and Wellness Center is set for 2 p.m.