PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Franciscan Lady Barons took a tough loss Wednesday night in Pittsburgh in their AMCC tilt versus La Roche College. Three difficult quarters for the Lady Barons gave the Redhawks the advantage, winning by a score of 87-41.

The La Roche Redhawks did not hesitate to dominate the first quarter. After scoring the first points of the game, Franciscan was quick to answer with a good jumper from freshman Angela Starre. The Redhawks went on a 20-point scoring run that was halted with thirty seconds left in the quarter by a good three-pointer from senior Raegan Stead.

A good jumper by freshman Grace Godich began the second quarter for the Lady Barons. La Roche answered with a layup. After a turnover by Franciscan, La Roche's Nia Thomas made a three-pointer pushing the lead forward. The Redhawks had a string of fouls, giving the Lady Barons the opportunity to gain ground by making foul shots. Franciscan seized the opportunity and went 5-6 at the free throw line this quarter. Although Franciscan improved offensively, the Redhawks still outscored the Lady Barons 22-11 to close out the first half with a lead 43-16.

Franciscan competed in the third quarter offensively and defensively being outscored by only one point. Each time La Roche scored, Franciscan answered. The Redhawks pulled away with a score of 62-34 to finish the third quarter.

The Lady Barons stumbled in the fourth quarter, being outscored by 18-points. Missed layups and several fouls put Franciscan in trouble as La Roche took control of the fourth quarter. Three fast-breaks and made layups for La Roche solidified the game, with a score of 87-41.

The Lady Barons went 18-25 from the free throw line, and 11-42 from the floor. Stead lead the team in points with 14, and Starre contributed six of her own along with seven rebounds.

The Lady Barons return to Steubenville to kick off a two-game homestand against Penn St.-Behrend on Saturday, January 12 at 2 PM.