Leavenworth, Kan.— The University of Saint Mary saw a 19-point second-half lead slip away Wednesday night, falling 87-86 to the Friends University Falcons on a layup in the final seconds in Ryan Sports Center.

The Spire women opened strong, using sharp perimeter shooting and active defense to build a 25-14 lead after the first quarter. The Spires stayed in front 44-32 at halftime and pushed the margin to 59-40 in the third, appearing in full command behind balanced scoring and a 35.5-percent mark from beyond the arc (11 3-pointers). Defensively, USM forced 10 steals and matched Friends with 13 turnovers, turning pressure into transition chances for much of the night.

Friends began to chip away late in the third and carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, when the Falcons outscored Saint Mary 35-24. The Spires still led in the closing minute before Friends' late flurry. KK Peeler knifed in for a layup to tie the game at 81-81 with 34 seconds left, and after the Spires answered to regain the lead, Raegan Bugaj drilled a 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining to knot the score at 84-84. The teams traded points once more before Barr's decisive bucket at the horn flipped the result.

Offensively, the Spires were led by Keely Barnard, who poured in a game-high 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting, including four 3-pointers, while adding 2 assists. Sharpshooter Addison Tower added 18 points of her own to go along with 3 steals and an assist on the night. Abby Wendte provided an all-around lift with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, going 6-for-8 at the free-throw line as Saint Mary finished 19-for-29 at the stripe (65.5 percent). The Spires also held a slight 42-40 edge on the glass, including 13 offensive rebounds that helped extend possessions.

Despite those advantages, Friends' late efficiency proved to be the difference. The Falcons shot 46.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range, knocking down 10 triples. Bugaj paced Friends with 17 points, going 5-for-8 from the floor and 5-for-9 at the line, while Peeler added 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting and grabbed 4 rebounds. Anna Sant'Anna also scored 15 points and hit four 3-pointers, including three in the second quarter that kept Friends within striking distance before the dramatic finish.

The Spires will look to build on the strong offensive performance and extended stretches of defensive pressure while focusing on late-game execution as conference play continues. USM will get this opportunity this Saturday as they host the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes at 5:00 p.m. in the Ryan Sports Center. Your Spires are currently sitting at 5^th in the KCAC with just seven regular season match ups remaining.