The Blackburn College Women's Basketball Team rallied from a twelve point second half deficit before dropping a 61-59 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest to Iowa Wesleyan University on Saturday in Carlinville.  Alexia Duncan's potential game winning three-pointer went off the rim as time expired.  Blackburn suffered a cold shooting first half to fall behind 35-27 after one half of play.  The Beavers shot 11 of 40 in the first half for 28 percent.  Iowa Wesleyan led the entire third quarter and took a 44-38 lead into the final quarter.  The Tigers stretched the lead to 52-43 with 4:58 remaining before Blackburn mounted their comeback.  The Beavers tied the contest up twice in the final two and half minutes, first on a Gariel Pierce layup and then again at 55-55 on a Jenna Dudra jump shot.  Blackburn trailed 61-58 with 2.5 seconds remaining then cut the lead to two on a Kate Smith free throw.  Smith's second free throw was waived off by a lane violation setting up the ending.  Iowa Wesleyan's pass in bounds was stolen by Savannah Kruse who got it to Duncan for the final shot.

Maria Cline led three Beavers into double figures with 14 points.  Smith added 13 points and Dudra had ten for the Beavers who are now 1-9 on the season and 0-4 in the SLIAC.  Josie Zerrusen led all scorers with 23 points for the Tigers while Darby Massner added 18 points.  Iowa Wesleyan is now 1-9 on the season and 1-2 in the SLIAC.

Gariel Pierce pulled down eleven rebounds for Blackburn while Smith added five steals and five assists.

"Our kids really battled for four quarters and even when we were down 8-10 points, we still battled each possession," said Blackburn Head Coach Jim Chandler.  "I'm really proud of how we kept in there and battled for four quarters and we really executed down the stretch, and it gave us a chance at the end," added Chandler.