WINONA LAKE, Ind. – In the regular season finale, Grace's women's basketball team lost a tough 76-61 game to No. 16 Taylor on Saturday.
The Lady Lancers end the regular season with a record of 16-14 and 10-8 in the Crossroads League for fourth place. Grace will host the quarterfinals of the CL Tournament on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Huntington.
Taylor implemented a zone defense in the first quarter, and Grace struggled to break through. Grace committed four turnovers in the first quarter and only had seven points entering the last minute.
Brooke Sugg made a running floater with 31 seconds left, and Micaela Box beat the buzzer with a baseline jumper. The Trojans still led 20-11 at quarter's end.
Kyannah Stull gave Grace a spark to start the second quarter. The freshman point guard hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Grace to within six.
Taylor ended the half by scoring on a last-second lob to earn a 39-30 lead at halftime. The Trojans (21-9, 14-4 CL) shot 50 percent from the floor and outrebounded Grace by four. Vironnica Drake had 10 of Grace's 30 first-half points, and Stull added six.
The third quarter all but sealed the win for the Trojans. Taylor buried five triples in the quarter and slowly pulled ahead.
The Trojans earned a 22-point lead at 62-40 with 2:19 remaining in the third, but Grace continued to fight. Box and Lauren Godfrey scored on back-to-back plays in the final minute to give Grace a lift.
The Lady Lancers continued to press to start the fourth quarter. A pair of triples by Box and Stull sliced Taylor's cushion down to 12 with 7:31 to play.
But Grace's momentum ran out soon after. The Trojans kept Grace from breaking into their lead any further and eased away for the final 15-point margin of victory.
Drake led Grace in scoring with 15 points and four rebounds, and Sugg had 11 points and two assists. Stull buried a trio of 3-pointers for nine points, and Box tallied 7 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds.
Kelsie Peterson, on her Senior Day, tallied seven points with three steals, and Pam Miller chipped in 4 points, 5 boards and 2 assists.
Taylor shot 49 percent for the game and 48 percent from beyond the arc. Grace shot 41 percent overall and 28 percent from the 3-point line.
