FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.--The Hood College women's basketball team (1-2) suffered another narrow defeat Sunday, falling 63-59 to the Methodist University Monarchs (2-2) on the second day of play at the Methodist Turkey Shootout at the Riddle Center.

Hood was in control for the first 31:44 of the contest; however the Monarchs did manage to tie the game on six occasions. The hosts leapfrogged the Blazers to take their first lead of the game on a three-pointer by Courtney Woods at the 8:16 mark of the second half.

The two teams traded baskets over the next several exchanges until the Monarchs went on top for good on a Brianna Robinson layup with 2:17 to go. Hood misfired on seven of its final nine field goal attempts down the stretch. The Blazers were able to draw within one possession of tying it when Emily Maerz knocked down her second long-range bucket of the day with nine seconds left in regulation. But, Methodist's Iesha Hayes would ice the game by making 1-of-2 from the foul line in the final seconds.

Hood led by as many as seven in the opening stanza when Maerz hit a three at the 7:06 mark to make it 18-11 Blazers. Methodist used a traditional three-point play from Ayanna Pegues in the final minute to claw to within 27-26 at halftime. Both teams shot right around 30 percent from the floor and went a combined 1-for-13 from behind the arc.

The Blazers were unable to stretch their second-half advantage beyond five points and the Monarchs used back-to-back layups by Christina Schrader in a span of 20 seconds to draw even at 45-45 midway through the period.

Hood's Shakara Head led all scorers with a season-high 14 points off the bench on 6-of-9 shooting. Dyanna Prater, who represented Hood on the all-tournament team, finished with 13 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and three steals while Maerz was one rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards. Rachel Wiley fouled out with eight points and a pair of blocks while Olivia Hosch netted five points, two rebounds and a steal off the bench.

The Blazers held a 48-37 edge on the glass and shot 34.8 percent from the floor.

Robinson, Schrader and Woods paced the Monarchs with 12 points apiece. 

Hood opens Commonwealth Conference play Wednesday against familiar foe Stevenson University at 6 p.m.