DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Cardinals saw their six-game win streak come to a close on Tuesday afternoon as CUA (7-2) fell to a hot-shooting Luther team 91-76 at the Daytona Beach Shootout.  After shooting 50 percent in the opening half, CUA was done in by a 27 percent showing in the final 20 minutes, while the Norse (4-7) connected on 52 percent of their attempts for the game to earn the win.

Jill Woerner was the top scorer for CUA with 20 points, while Liz Briones (15) and Jenny McGann (10) joined her in double figures.  The Cardinals shot just 24 percent from three-point range, but they did connect on 11 of 13 at the foul line (84 percent).

Four Luther players hit for double figures, led by Samantha Jewell with 18.  Nellie Nelson (15), Taylor Johnson (14) and Logan Hjerleid (13) also scored in double digits, while Jewell pulled down nine of the Norse's 42 rebounds. 

Luther shot a blistering 59 percent over the final 20 minutes and went to the free throw line an incredible 37 times, connecting on 31 of those attempts (83 percent).

CUA found itself down 58-50 with under 14 minutes remaining in the game, but the Cardinals scored five straight to pull within three with 12:25 on the clock.  Two free throws by Jewell with exactly nine minutes to go gave the Norse a nine-point advantage, while Nelson's free throw one minute later put CUA in a double-digit hole.

The Cardinals remained within striking distance as the game moved along, but down the stretch CUA was forced to foul and Luther did a terrific job with its opportunities, sinking 9 of 12 tries in the final four minutes to seal the win.

CUA began the game on an 8-0 run, but that was short lived as Luther battled back to take a 16-15 lead with 13:16 remaining before halftime.  The teams went back and forth for the next several minutes before the Norse opened up a five-point advantage on Jewell's layup with 4:42 on the clock.

With under a minute to play and the score knotted at 38 Jenny McGann got inside for a layup to give CUA a two-point lead, but Nelson came down the other end and sank a jumper with 11 ticks to go, sending the teams into halftime tied at 40.

In all there were seven ties and nine lead changes throughout the contest.

CUA will now take its annual holiday break before returning to action on Saturday, January 1 when the Cardinals host the CUA/Fairfield Inn Holiday Tournament inside the DuFour Center Gymnasium. 

CUA will take on Staten Island in the opening round beginning at 6 p.m. with Marymount and Manhattanville to follow in the second contest.  That start time is slated for 8.