FERRUM, VA --- A bad stretch to start the second half was too much to overcome for the EMU basketball women Saturday afternoon, as they lost 78-72 at Ferrum.  The Royals made a huge 31-13 run late in the game but could get no closer than four points in the final minute.

The game was a match of two of the top teams in the South Region, as the Panther were the preseason favorite from the USA South.  EMU was the preseason favorite in the ODAC.

The Panthers slowly pushed out to a lead in a first void of any large runs.  They led by as many as nine points before rolling into halftime up 40-31.

Playing in front of their home crowd, Ferrum scored the first six points of the second half to balloon the lead to 46-31.  The lead continued to grow to its biggest at 61-39 with 12:29 remaining.

That's when the Royals finally got their game going.  The women scored on four straight possessions, putting in nine unanswered points to slice the lead down to 13.  Moments later another quick 7-0 spurt got the edge to single digits at 65-56.

Ferrum steadied the ship for a minute or two, before EMU struck another run of 10-2, whacking the lead down to two points at 74-72 with 35 seconds left.  The Royals started to foul, but the Panthers were up to the task, going 4-for-6 from the free throw line to ice the 78-72 decision.

Eastern Mennonite did grab 17 offensive rebounds in the game, and held a slight 33-31 rebounding advantage, but the women were undone by shooting 39% from the floor and just 3-13 from three point range.  Ferrum connected on 46% of their shots, going 6-12 from downtown.  The Royals also had 22 turnovers to their host's 16.

Bianca Ygarza (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) exploded for a season high 28 points, as she scored in double figures for the sixth straight game and seventh out of eight this season.  She was 10-17 from the floor and 8-9 from the free throw line.  Shakeerah Sykes (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) added 13 points and eight rebounds.

Jess Rheinheimer (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) and Alisa Brown (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) each scored eight points.  Keyla Baltimore (Bristow, Va./Brentsville District) tied for the game high with five assists.

Jacole Hairston led Ferrum with 21 points.  Katy Kipps had 10 points and nine rebounds.

EMU slips to 6-2 with the non-conference loss.  They have three more games before getting back into their ODAC slate on January 11.  After a week break for final exams, the Royals play at Mt. Aloysius in Cresson, Pa., next Saturday at 3:00pm.