QUINCY, Ill. -- The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball couldn't overcome a slow start as its four-game winning streak was snapped with a 64-53 loss against Quincy at Pepsi Arena on Monday afternoon. The Tritons drop to 13-4, 7-3 GLVC while the Hawks improve to 12-5, 6-2 GLVC.
 
Before the tip-off, Quincy committed an administrative technical foul, allowing UMSL a free throw. Kate Rolfes made the attempt, giving the Tritons the lead before the game clock started.
 
It was all Hawks after that as UMSL started out cold from the field as it made only one of its first 10 shots while Quincy hit six of its first eight from the floor to build an early 18-3 lead.
 
After an Alex Wolff jumper a minute into the first quarter, it would take the Tritons four minutes to score another point. Audrey Martinez-Stewart made both her free-throws. UMSL would not score another basket in the run of play until under three minutes left in the quarter.
 
The scoring woes continued in the second quarter. Just under a minute into the quarter, Martinez-Stewart made a driving layup to cut the lead to ten. Quincy answered with a three-pointer a minute later.
 
Free-throws by Wolff and Morgan Ramthun kept the Tritons in the game but couldn't close the gap between UMSL and the Hawks.
 
The best run of play took place between a Ramthun layup at the five-minute mark and a Katie Hamill jump shot make just under the third minute that cut the Quincy lead to nine points. During that time span, neither team managed a basket, allowing UMSL to regroup on defense.
 
The Tritons got as close as 36-29 after a jumper from Emerson Weller but the Hawks scored the final four points of the frame to take an 11-point lead into the intermission.
 
The third quarter continued to feature scoring woes for the Tritons. It took two minutes before UMSL managed to score a point, with Wolff making both her free throws. Hamill scored the first basket in play four minutes into the quarter.
 
Stretches of the third passed without a basket but the Hawks went on a run of free-throws at the end of the third to push the lead to 57-40 heading into the final quarter.
 
Turnovers hurt the Tritons in the final quarter as the team tried to hustle their way back into the game.
 
Wolff scored the first basket three minute into the fourth with Mara Rieder adding a basket less than a minute later.
 
While the Tritons were more consistent in the fourth quarter, Quincy's lead proved impossible to chip away at, despite UMSL's second chance points from rebounds.
 
Wolff lead the Tritons with 14 points, three rebounds, and two blocks. Martinez-Stewart had 12 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Ramthun had nine rebounds, including six defensive boards.

As a team, UMSL shot 33 percent (20-for-61) from the field but were just 2-of-13 from the three-point arc and were 11-of-14 at the foul line.
 
Quincy shot 40 percent (22-for-55) from the field including 3-of-8 from three and shot 85 percent (17-for-20) at the foul line. Nicole McDermott led all scorers with 22 points and added three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
The Tritons continue conclude their four-game road trip this Thursday (Jan. 23) at Maryville (8-10, 6-4 GLVC) at 5:15 p.m.