FOND DU LAC, Wis. -- A 21-point deficit was trimmed to just three, but Alverno College was unable to come up with a game-tying basket on the final possession and lost to host Marian University, 62-59, Tuesday evening inside Sadoff Gymnasium.

Mollie Mikyska scored a career-high 25 points, while Alicia Dentici and Brooke McBain added season-highs of 11 and 10 points for the Inferno (3-10, 1-7 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference) who dropped their third-straight game despite shooting and impressive 44 percent from the field.

Trailing 52-31 with over 14 minutes to play, Alverno held the Sabres (9-4, 5-3 NACC) to just six points over the next eight minutes and trailed 56-50 with under six minutes left in the contest.

A McBain jumper at 2:42 pulled the Inferno within two points, but the Sabres scored the next four to increase the lead to six with 33 ticks left on the clock.

Tessa Mersberger sunk a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game, and a quick foul sent the Sabres' Brandi Bender to the free-throw line. Bender missed the bonus throw and Julie Gallegos hauled in her game-best 11th rebound giving the Inferno a chance to tie.

Alverno called a timeout with the ball just past half court and setup the final play of the contest with 5.4 seconds left. Unfortunately the 3-point attempt came after the final horn as the host Sabres held on for the win.

Sarah Olewinski and Nicole Paulus made four 3-pointers apiece and led Marian with 16 and 14 points. The Sabres made 13-of-38 attempts from long range.

Alverno returns to Reiman Gymnasium for the start of a four-game homestand on Saturday versus Milwaukee School of Engineering. The Inferno and Raiders tipoff at 7 p.m. as the crosstown foes battle for the Red Rivalry Cup.