Women's program goes the other way after opening season with a win by losing the next four games in a row

The University of Missouri-St. Louis women's basketball team's record fell to 1-2 Tuesday night, after losing, 89-69, to Northwest

Missouri State University at the Mark Twain Gymnasium.

Guard Kristi White, junior, accounting, led the Tritons with 13 points and six assists, while Lindsey Ransome, junior, communications, added 13 points of her own, as the Tritons battled the Bearcats to a 36-36 stalemate at halftime. But injuries and a rough-shooting second half allowed Northwest Missouri State to pull away.

"We were short a few players tonight," White said. "That made it real tough. We fought as hard as we could, but they just wore us down in the end."

One of those injuries occurred just three minutes into the game, when Mary Helen Slaughter, senior, physical education, suffered a shoulder injury fighting for a loose ball. That left the Tritons with just one true post player.

Just before halftime, Hailee Deckard, freshman, education, suffered a facial injury and bloody nose while taking a charge underneath the basket.

"We have a lot trust in the team," White said. "But we have a lot of young players, as well. So when we put in some mixes we're not used to, it kind of showed up in the game."

The Tritons kept the game close for a while in the second half, even taking the lead after Ransome hit a three-pointer to make the score 41-40.

From that point on, though, the shorthanded UM-St. Louis squad was outscored 49-18 en route to their second straight loss.

"I think we had a lot of players really step up tonight," White said.

"I think we did a real good job of recovering after Mary and Hailee's loss, but you can tell we're young and still getting used to playing with each other."

The Tritons did not get much time to recover. They spent their Thanksgiving weekend in Monticello, Ark., playing in the Dr. Mary Jane Gilbert Classic hosted by the University of Arkansas-Monticello.

On Friday, UM-St. Louis took on the host school in a 7 p.m. game. Saturday, the Tritons went against Ouachita Baptist College in a noon tipoff.

The Triton women'ss next home game will be Sat., Dec. 6, when they face Lewis University at 1 p.m. at the Mark Twain Gymnasium as part of a double-header, followed by a men's game at 3 p.m.