ST. LOUIS – The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team couldn't overcome Lewis' hot shooting in the fourth quarter in its 70-66 loss at Neil Carey Arena on Saturday afternoon in Romeoville, Ill.

The Tritons drop to 7-10, 5-6 GLVC while the Flyers improve to 10-7, 9-2 GLVC.

UMSL fell behind by six midway through the opening frame but rallied to within a point at 13-12 after an old fashioned three-point play from Mara Rieder with 3:14 left in the stanza. Lewis stretched its lead back to six closing the frame on a 9-4 run highlighted by back-to-back baskets from Lily Courier and Tara Gugliuzza.

The Tritons began the second quarter on a 10-2 run to take a 26-24 lead after two free throws from Alex Wolff with 6:27 to play until halftime. Lewis countered with seven straight points and led by five after a jumper from Cierra McNamee. It still led by four in the final minute of the half before Audrey Martinez-Stewart hit a three-pointer with 0:25 left in the frame to pull UMSL within 36-35 at the break.

The Tritons carried that momentum into the third quarter outscoring the Flyers 16-9 in the first 8:30 minutes of the frame to take its largest lead of the contest at 51-45 on another three from Martinez-Stewart. Lewis countered with five straight points to pull within one at 51-50 on a three from Jenna Badali but Jalysa Stokes sent UMSL into the final stanza with a four-point lead after hitting a three with 0:41 left in the quarter.

The Tritons stretched their lead to five after two free throws from Stokes with 6:21 remaining in the contest but the Flyers refused to go away going on a 7-2 run to cut the margin to two on a jumper from Courier two minutes later.

Stokes gave UMSL its four-point lead back with less than four minutes to go but Lewis got back-to-back baskets from Ally Cesarini and Courier to tie the game at 64 with less than three minutes left. Neither side scored until Badali broke the tie hitting a three with 60 seconds to play.

The Tritons got within one after Stokes knocked down two free throws with 0:29 left. UMSL was forced to foul and sent Badali to the line but she only made 1-of-2. The Tritons had a chance to tie the game but Stokes's jumper was off the mark and Taylor Gugliuzza secured the rebound. She was fouled with 0:04 left and hit both free throws to end the game.

UMSL finished the contest shooting 48 percent (24-for-50) from the field including 4-of-12 from three and shot 88 percent at the foul line. It outrebounded the Flyers 31-to-22. Stokes led the Tritons with 22 points and was joined in double figures by Rieder with 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench while Martinez-Stewart added 10 points.

Lewis, buoyed by shooting 67 percent in the final quarter, ended the game connecting on 52 percent (28-for-54) of its attempts from the floor including 6-of-11 from three but shot only 53 percent at the charity stripe. Badali led all scorers with 23 points and was joined in double figures by Kathryn Schmidt with 11 points and Courier added 10 points.

UMSL is back at home this coming Thursday (Jan. 25) as it hosts Missouri S&T at 5:30 p.m. at the Mark Twain Building.