HARRISONBURG, VA - A painful fourth provided the knockout punch as the Royals lost 73-54 to national power Capital University Saturday afternoon at the EMU Tip-Off Classic.  The loss also broke the EMU women's 31-game home winning streak, which dated back to a 54-49 decision to Elizabethtown on Jan. 7, 2013.

In Saturday's intense matchup of two teams receiving votes in the national preseason polls, neither team led by more than five before halftime.  The Crusaders, who have been to 15 NCAA National Tournaments over the past 30 years, scored first and had the edge at 16-11 early in the second period.

Freshman Lindsey Krisak (Alexandria, Va./Edison) canned back-to-back threes to give Eastern Mennonite their first lead at 20-19 with 5:19 left in the second.  The Royals led 25-23 before Capital scored the final seven of the frame to go back up at halftime, 30-25.

The Crusaders pushed ahead 38-30 early in the third, but a 6-0 EMU run cut off the momentum.  Jess Rheinheimer (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) drilled a three pointer to cap a 13-4 run and put the Royals up 43-42, but CU got one more bucket to slide ahead 44-43 going into the fourth.

After an illegal screen on EMU's first possession, things went downhill.  The Royals didn't score for the first 6:30 of the fourth while Capital rattled off 15 unanswered points to blow open a 59-43 lead.  The women couldn't string anything together against the experienced Crusaders, finally bowing out with the 19-point loss.

EMU was out-scored 29-11 in the fourth period, and out-shot 71.4% to 33.3%.  Game totals came to rest at 45.9% for Capital and 30.0% for the Royals.

Rheinheimer worked hard for her game high 23 points.  She also had eight rebounds.  Krisak finished with eight points.  Jazmine Carter (Fairfax, Va./Oakton) had six points, three assists, two steals and two blocks.  Jourdyn Friend (Richmond, Va./Meadowbrook) added six boards off the bench.

Kristen Thompson had 21 points and 11 rebounds as all five Capital starters scored in double figures.  Jenna Erwin also had a double double with 18 points and 10 boards.

The Royals have a week to prepare for the Roanoke Tip-Off Tournament in Salem.  They play Sewanee on Friday, followed by Berry next Saturday.