FAYETTE, IOWA – The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team lost a 74-58 decision at Upper Iowa on Friday night in the start of a three-game road trip.
 
The Tritons were just 2-of-15 from three-point range, while Upper Iowa connected for eight three-pointers and went 22-of-25 from the free throw line.
 
UMSL slips to 1-2 overall, while Upper Iowa, playing its second of four straight games against GLVC opponents, improves to 1-3.
 
Senior Kelly Kunkel led the Tritons with 17 points and eight rebounds, while junior Robneisha Lee followed with 13 points and five steals. Junior Sydney Bloch added 10 points, all in the first half, and added four assists and four steals.
 
UMSL collected 13 steals on 26 Peacocks turnovers, but held an 18-14 edge in points off turnovers, committing 19 turnovers of its own.  
 
The Tritons raced out to an early 9-0 lead with Bloch scoring the game's first four points and held Upper Iowa scoreless over the first four minutes before the host Peacocks used an 11-2 run to tie the game a little more than three minutes later. Both teams knocked in a pair of field goals to close out the opening quarter tied at 15-15.
 
Upper Iowa then outscored UMSL, 23-15, in the second quarter behind four three-pointers en route to a 38-30 halftime lead.
 
The Tritons pulled within four points twice in the third quarter, including 43-39 on a Kunkel layup midway through the stanza before the Peacocks went on an 8-3 run to push their lead back to nine, 51-42.  Upper Iowa took a 56-46 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
After UMSL got back-to-back baskets from freshman Sydney Skaggs to open the fourth quarter, the Tritons were held scoreless for the next four minutes while Upper Iowa s scored six straight to go ahead, 62-50. The Peacocks then converted all 10 of their free throw attempts in the final four minutes to seal the contest.
 
The Tritons shot 38.9 percent, while Upper Iowa connected at a 45.8 percent clip and owned a 35-23 rebounding advantage.
 
UMSL continues its current three-game roadtrip on Sunday at Minnesota State, Mankato.