BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) [box score] - The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team battled back from a 17 point deficit with 18 minutes to go in the game to give itself an opportunity for the win during the final minutes, but time would expire on the Beavers’ comeback. The visiting University of Mary Marauders gave the Beavers their first loss of the season on its home court by upending the Beavers 99-93 at the BSU Gymnasium.

Five Bemidji State players recorded double-digit scoring in the loss with junior guard Heidi Matzke (Red Lake Falls, Minn.) leading the way. Matzke recorded her second double-double of the season with 21 points and a career-high 13 rebounds on 7-of-15 from the field. It was the fifth time this season that Matzke has scored 20 or more points in a game. Karlee Simonson (Sr., F, Rockford, Minn.) joined Matzke in the double-double column with 17 points and 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Joining Matzke and Simonson in double-figure scoring was Amy Lawson (Sr., G, Spender, Iowa) with 16 points, Stephanie Peterson (Sr., C, Bismarck, N.D.) adding 13 and Katherine Jamnick (So., C, Soudan, Minn.) chipping in a career-high 10 points in the loss.

Mary’s (N.D.) Kayla Rogers paced a quartet of Marauders who recorded double-figure scoring totals with a game-high 29 points on 7-of-15 from the field, 5-of-11 from the three point line and 10-of-13 from the free throw line. Nicci Landdeck notched 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds for the Marauders only double-double of the game. Sonny Schulz and Rachel Zillmer rounded out UM’s top four scores netting 13 and 12 respectively.

The University of Mary started the game on a 7-0 run in the first 2:30 of the game and was able to hold on to the lead the remainder of the game despite numerous comeback attempts by the Beavers. The Beavers eventually got on the board at 17:22 of the first half on a jumper by Lawson. BSU closed the Marauder lead to five points at 14-9 on a free-throw by Matzke.

Kayla Rogers knocked down a jumper at 15:14 which sparked a 11-1 Marauder run to give UM a 15 point lead (25-10) with 12:55 left in the first half. The Beavers continued to make multiple runs at the Mary lead throughout the first half but the Beavers converted just 12-of-36 field goals (.333) were 2-of-9 from the three point line (.222) and made 14-of-19 free-throw opportunities and were unable to overtake the visitors in the first half. Mary shot 21-of-39 from the field (.538), 6-of-9 from beyond the arc (.667) and connected on 6-of-8 (.750) from the free throw line in the half.

UM took a 54-40 lead into the locker rooms after 20 minutes of play.

As the teams came out of the break, Mary quickly extended its lead to its largest of the game at 17 points, 59-42, on two free throws by Anna Skala and a three pointer by Kayla Rogers. BSU would keep pace with the Marauders and used a 16-4 run to trim the lead to 63-58 with 13.53 to play.

The Marauders responded once again with its own run over the next 7:57 as they once again increased their lead to double-figures at 86-72 with 5:56 left to play in the contest. The Beavers had one last run to overtake the Marauders as a layup by Peterson sparked a 9-0 run to bring the Beavers back to within five points of the Marauders with 2:49 left in the game, 86-81. Peterson recorded seven of her 13 points during the run.

After Peterson’s two free-throws to bring the Beavers to within five the Marauders would score on its next three possessions starting with a jumper by Landdeck. Landdeck then went 2-of-4 from the free throw line for the Marauders on their next two possessions to push Mary’s lead back to nine, 90-81 with 1:55 remaining.

The Beavers closed to within four points off of Matzke’s lone three-pointer of the game with just :02 seconds left but time would run out on the Beavers comeback as Kayla Rogers sank her 28th and 29th points to give the Marauders the 99-93 win.

BSU finished the game with a 51-45 edge on the glass and used a 18-of-39 effort from the floor during the second half to complete the game 30-of-75 (.400). UM was 33-of-69 in the game (.478) and recorded five more threes than the Beavers going 9-of-20 (.450) from behind the arc.

The Marauders extend its win streak over the Beavers to three games and take a two game lead in the series 1-3.

The 192 combined points between the two teams was the most points between the Beavers and an opponent since Feb. 28, 1997 when the Beavers and Southwest Minnesota State combined for 196 points.

With 16 points Amy Lawson is just 14 points shy of becoming the 13th Bemidji State player to garner 1,000 points in a career.

The loss also drops the Beavers into a tie with Minnesota State Moorhead for fourth place in the NSIC standings at 4-3 in league play.

Bemidji State (8-7; 4-3 NSIC) is back in action next weekend when the Beavers hit the road to take on Upper Iowa and Winona State. The Beavers will face off with Upper Iowa on Jan. 18 and then will wrap up the weekend with a match-up with Winona State on Jan. 19. Both games are slated for a 6:00 p.m. start.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).