HARROGATE, Tenn. - The Lincoln Memorial University women's basketball team (5-5, 4-5 SAC) fell behind early and were unable to recover as they lost to RV Catawba (5-0, 5-0) inside B. Frank "Tex" Turner Arena Saturday afternoon by a score of 72-63. 

The Lady Railsplitters got off to an excellent start as Lexi Kiser drained a three pointer to give LMU the early lead. A Shemya Stanback three tied the score before a Lyrik Thorne three pointer gave Catawba a 6-3 lead. Neither team was able to score for the next couple minutes before a Sara McIntosh and-one increased the lead to six points. Jordan Maney scored to cut the lead to four, but McIntosh made consecutive layups to extend the lead. Two Thorne free throws and Janiya Downs jumper forced LMU to call a timeout down 17-5. Two Lauren Flowers free throws got the Lady Railsplitters within ten; then the teams traded free throws to make the score 18-8. Mercedes Wampler made a layup to finalize the scoring heading into the second period.

A Taisha DeShazo three pointer extended the Lady Indian lead to 15 before Addi Kirkpatrick scored inside. Wampler and Maney then traded scores before LMU went on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to eight. A Thorne three pointer brought the lead back to 11 for Catawba, but Maney made a three of her own to get the Lady Railsplitters within single digits.Two Flowers free throws closed LMU within six before Downs and Flowers traded baskets. Another Downs jumper extended the lead to nine before Lindsay Proffitt closed out the half with a three.

Stanback made a three to open the scoring in the second half, and Thorne matched her to quickly up the lead to 12 points. After a flurry of activity but no scoring, McIntosh made consecutive layups, forcing an LMU timeout. After the timeout, Kirkpatrick made consecutive baskets, but McIntosh made one of her own. Kirkpatrick responded with two free throws, but Marissa Bruce made a layup to keep the Lady Indian lead at 14. Two Talia Barnes free throws, a Bruce layup, and a Downs and-one ballooned the lead to 21; then Bruce made yet another layup to extend it to 23. Kiser and Thorne traded scores within the last two minutes, and Kirkpatrick made a lone free throw to close out the quarter.

As the fourth quarter began, the Lady Railsplitters began to cut into the huge lead. Flowers made a free throw to open the scoring, but Lauren Ford made a layup. Two Mikayla Kuehne free throws, a Kiser jumper, two Maney free throws, and three points by Flowers slashed the lead to 14 with just less than seven minutes to play. Downs made a layup, but Flowers continued her surge and made a three to cut the lead to 13. She also made a free throw later to cut the lead to 12, but Thorne responded with a three. Two more Flowers free throws were offset by a DeShazo three pointer. The teams then traded scores before LMU went on an 8-0 run to finish the game. Grace Day, Flowers, Kuehne, and Kiser combined for the eight points down the stretch.

Flowers led the charge and posted a double-double for the Lady Railsplitters as she finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Maney and Kiser joined her in double figures with 14 and 12, respectively, while Kirkpatrick finished with nine points and five rebounds.

LMU will have a quick turnaround and face the UVA Wise Cavs for the second time in a week on Monday, Jan. 25. Tip-off inside B. Frank 'Tex" Turner Arena is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.