ST. LOUIS, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team dropped its Great Lakes Valley Conference opener on Thursday night, falling to No. 6 ranked Drury, 74-65.
 
The visiting Panthers shot 56.4 percent from the field, while knocking down eight three-pointers to stay undefeated, moving to 6-0 overall, including 1-0 in the GLVC.
 
UMSL, which slips to 3-4 overall and 0-1 in the league, connected at 44.4 percent clip and outrebounded its second straight opponent, 26-24, holding a 13-7 edge on the offensive end and a 12-8 advantage in second chance points. The Tritons were just 4-of-19 (21.1 percent) from three-point range.
 
Senior Kelly Kunkel led the Tritons with 18 points and seven rebounds, while juniors Sydney Bloch (12 points) and Robneisha Lee (11 points) and sophomore Jordan Fletcher (10 points) also reached double figures. Bloch added four assists and three steals.
 
Drury posted a 34-29 halftime lead, outscoring UMSL, 12-2, over the final five minutes of the opening stanza. After trailing 18-16 at the end of the first quarter, the Tritons began the second quarter with an 11-5 run, netting four straight field goals and taking a 27-22 lead at the 5:41 mark on Bloch's layup down the middle of the lane. However, the Tritons went 1-of-7 from the floor to end the half.
 
Drury then widened its gap in the third quarter, outscoring UMSL, 24-16, to take a 58-45 lead. Both teams shot 60 percent or better in the third 10 minute period.
 
The Tritons pulled within single digits at 64-56 on a pair of Lee free throws with 4:46 to play in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers responded with a short 6-4 run and went 10-of-14 at the free throw line in the final 3:51 to seal the win.
 
Both teams committed 19 turnovers with Drury holding a 26-23 edge in points off turnovers. The Panthers were led by Hannah Dressler's career-high 16 points and also received 24 points from its benh.
 
UMSL continues its current GLVC three-game homestand on Saturday, hosting Missouri S&T at 1 p.m.
 
TRITON TIDBITS: UMSL falls to 3-16 in GLVC openers… the Tritons were opening their GLVC schedule at home for the fourth straight year…  UMSL is now 1-22 all-time against Drury… UMSL was picked to finish fourth in the GLVC West Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Drury was the favorite… junior Sydney Bloch went to the free throw line one time and made her lone attempt, extending her streak to 14 straight made free throws.