NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Grace's women's basketball team kicked off the 2015-16 season with a 56-47 loss at Holy Cross on Saturday.

The Lady Lancers (0-1) struggled mightily with their offense, connecting on just 34 percent from the floor on 18-of-53 shooting. Saturday's game was also the first in the new format for women's basketball — a game of four 10-minute quarters rather than two 20-minute halves.

Grace's offensive issues began right after tipoff. Over its first six possessions, Grace missed four field goals, missed two free throws and had a turnover. The Lady Lancers recovered to cut the Saints' lead to 20-14 after one quarter.

Grace outplayed the Saints (1-0) in the second quarter, trimming the deficit to 30-25 at the halftime break.

The third quarter was a defensive stalemate with only 13 combined points in the 10-minute period. 

Grace entered the fourth trailing by six, but the Saints refused to let the Lady Lancers taste the lead. Holy Cross pulled ahead by 12, forcing Grace to put the Saints on the line. The Saints hit 11-of-14 from the free throw stripe in the second half to ease away for the 56-47 victory.

As a team Grace was outrebounded 37-23. Grace committed 16 turnovers and forced the Saints into the same number of turnovers.

No player for Grace scored in double figures. Sarah Feasby led Grace with eight points and six rebounds, and Jesse Feitz had seven points and six boards.

Haley Richardson scored six points on 3-of-5 shooting in her first game with the Lady Lancers, and Brooke Sugg tallied seven points in her first collegiate contest. Kelsie Peterson and Gabby Miller scored six points apiece.

The Lady Lancers will return to the Manahan Orthopaedic Center on Wednesday for their home opener against IU-South Bend at 7 p.m.