LAKE WALES, Fla. --- The Ave Maria women's basketball team was unable to overcome a 28-21 halftime deficit at Warner on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Lady Royals 66-52. The Lady Gyrenes end the regular season with an overall record of 15-15 and finish Sun Conference play with a 6-12 mark. The Blue and Green will begin the conference tournament on Tuesday night at Southeastern. The game time is yet to be determined.
 
The Blue and Green were led by Madison McDonald who tallied 18 points and Annie Artise who finished with a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Lauren Gillingham also scored in double figures with 10 points. Yvanessa Vincent finished with 12 boards to go with seven points.
 
The Lady Gyrenes shot 32.8 percent from the field and made 5-of-23 from behind the arc. Warner shot 46.9 percent on the afternoon and made seven from three.
 
The two teams went back-and-forth for most of the first half with neither team able to gain more than a seven point advantage. The first half saw three ties and three lead changes in the first 11 minutes of the game.
 
With AMU trailing 21-19, Warner went on a 7-2 run to finish the half to take a 28-21 lead on the Gyrenes into the break.
 
The Lady Gyrenes pulled to within two, 32-30, early in the second half before Warner went on a 10-0 run to extend its lead to 42-30.
 
Trailing by 16, 52-36, Gillingham made a three to pull AMU within 11, 52-41. A few minutes later, McDonald hit a trey to get the Gyrenes within 10, 54-44, but back-to-back baskets by Warner put the game out of reach for the Lady Gyrenes.