On Sunday, the SIU women’s basketball team took on the Loyola Rambler in the second game of its three-game road trip.

In the first matchup between the two teams, the Salukis came out on top at SIU Arena, 62-46.

The Salukis fell short in sweeping the season series against Loyola (6-19, 4-10 MVC) and fell 62-53.

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The Ramblers showed determination for redemption early in the game and kicked off the opening period with back to back 3-pointers.

Following the 6-0 Loyola run, and with a couple of jumpers from sophomore forward Nicole Martin, Southern brought the game to a tie at 11 points each.

Although Loyola struggled to shake off the Salukis in the first quarter, the Ramblers held their lead and carried a 21-19 lead to the second frame.

The Ramblers stayed red-hot in the second quarter. They started with a 10-2 run that earned their first double-digit lead of the contest.

As Martin continued to lead the way, SIU slowly clawed its way back into the game and went to halftime down by only five.

Southern had trouble taking advantage of its opportunities in the half as the Salukis pulled down seven offensive boards but only scored two second-chance points.

Loyola came into the third quarter with hopes of putting the game away. The Ramblers outscored the Salukis 13-5 and stretcher their lead to 13 points.

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With five consecutive free throws, the Salukis cut down the deficit and made the score 48-40.

With one last layup in the third period by freshman forward Abby Brockmeyer, Southern went into the final quarter trailing by seven at 49-42. Brockmeyer finished the game with seven points and six rebounds.

Senior guard Kylie Giebelhausen then started final period with a bucket from beyond that brought the Salukis within four.

Despite the Salukis’ efforts to achieve a late-game comeback, Loyola was held its lead for the entire period and took home the 62-53 win, splitting the season series.

Southern shared the ball well in the contest and finished with 13 assists. However, the team shared the ball too much with the Ramblers and gave up 16 turnovers.

Martin led SIU in scoring with 15 points along with four rebounds.

Up next, the Salukis (14-12, 9-6 MVC) will end their three-game road trip on Feb. 23 when they take on the Missouri State Bears. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Sports reporter Dillon Gilliland can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @DillonGilliland.

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