CHICAGO, IL – The 23^rd ranked Mayville State women's basketball team began their road weekend trip to Chicago with a matchup against a top-20 team in the 17^th ranked Saint Xavier Cougars, and a battle ensued between the two teams. An 18-point third quarter wasn't enough for the Comets, as they fell to the Cougars 81-74 at the Shannon Center in Chicago, Illinois.
 
"It was a great battle by two top 25 teams," Comet head coach Dennis Hutter said. "I really liked how we battled and competed the entire game."
 
Maia Fawcett got the Cougars out to a 5-0 lead just two minutes in, when Claire Blascziek was fouled. Blascziek was sent to the free throw line, where she went two-for-two, which started the Comet comeback. Just 20 seconds later, Nicole Bunting nailed a three-pointer, tying the game quickly with 7:20 to go in the opening frame. After Mckenna Zobel answered 20-seconds later, Cyan Hale again cut the lead to one, on a layup with 6:34 to go.
 
Austin Claire's free throw with 2:59 to go increased the lead to double-digits, something Saint Xavier could only do a handful of times against the Comets. Each time Saint Xavier increased it to double-digits, the Comets responded. With 1:50 to go in the first quarter, with Austin on fire, Blascziek cut the lead to six points with back-to-back free throws and a three pointer, which came with 37 seconds left. Austin scored a buzzer-beater, sending Saint Xavier to the locker room with a seven-point lead after one quarter.
 
The second quarter was a defensive battle, with both teams combining for just seven made field goals and seven made free throws.
 
Blascziek got the scoring started, as she nailed a three with just over a minute-15 gone in the quarter, cutting the Saint Xavier lead to 30-26.
 
Zobel pushed the Cougars lead back to nine with 6:39 to go, but Kylee Heurung, Taylor Reilly and Cyan Hale each netted a free throw, cutting the lead to six with under five minutes to go in the half. Heurung scored Mayville State's final first-half bucket with 2:29 to go. Saint Xavier went on a 4-0 run to close the half, up 10 at the break.
 
The third quarter was again a defensive battle, with the Comets holding Saint Xavier to only 13 points. Blascziek paced the Comets in the third with six points on a pair of threes. Taylor Skjordal also had a three, which, at the time, with 5:53 to go in the third, brought the Comets to within five points. Both of Blascziek's buckets brought the Comets to within three points of the Cougars, who held a five-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Heurung then came in and dominated the fourth. Six of Mayville State's first nine points came from the hands of Heurung. Then, Blascziek's three with 5:29 to go in the game, made it a one-point basketball game.
 
Fawcett responded right away, only to be responded to by Jordan Zrust, pulling the Comets again to within one point, with 4:56 to go in the game.
 
Austin and Fawcett teamed up for back-to-back buckets, pushing the lead to nine points in the closing moments of the game.
 
But, in true Comet fashion, the Comets fought until the very end. Nicole Bunting went up for a layup and converted on the three-point play, pulling Mayville State to within six points with 27 seconds to go. Then, Zrust was fouled nearly two seconds later, and converted both of her free throws, making the score 78-74 with 25 seconds left.
 
But, Fawcett was too much in the end, as she picked up a basket with 22 seconds left, along with a free throw with seven seconds left, sealing the win for the Cougars.
 
Mayville State was led in scoring by Blascziek with 22 points, including six-of-11 from behind the arc. Heurung added 21 points, including seven-of-10 from the free throw line. The third Comet in double figures was Bunting, who finished with 13 points.
 
Heurung registered a double-double, adding 15 rebounds to her 21 points.
 
The Comets drop to 4-1 and will take on the Robert Morris University Eagles on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Chicago.