PITTSBURGH, Pa.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team suffered their first loss of the season on Thursday night, losing 72-65 to Point Park University in Pittsburgh. The Gyrenes were outscored 42-29 in the second half to fall to 5-1 on the season.

Ave Maria got off to a fast start against the Pioneers, twice leading by nine points in the first quarter. A 12-1 in a span of just over three minutes in the opening frame got the Gyrenes out to a 12-3 lead. AMU also led by nine points after a Danielle Weinmann jumper, 18-9, with 1:58 to play. Point Park cut the Gyrene lead down to seven, 20-13, at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter went back and forth between the two teams, with the Ave lead never getting smaller than five points or bigger than ten points. The ten-point lead came with 2:02 to play after a basket from Syanne Rowe. The Pioneers scored the final four points of the half, cutting the Gyrene lead to 36-30 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Gyrenes built their lead back to ten points, 40-30, with 9:26 to play. From that point, Point Park went on a 20-4 run, turning a ten-point deficit to a six-point lead, culminating with a 50-44 lead with 1:53 to play. However, AMU responded with an 8-2 run on two Taylor Allen threes and a basket in the paint from Weinmann to tie the game at 52 with ten minutes to play.

Point Park never trailed in the fourth quarter after scoring first, and built their lead as large as five points. Ave Maria was able to mount a comeback, tying the game at 61 on a Katie Houbolt three, and again at 63 on a two-pointer from Amanda Kasprzak. Unfortunately, the Pioneers scored nine of the final eleven points to pick up the victory over the Gyrenes.

Weinmann was the leading scorer for the Gyrenes, scoring 12 points. Houbolt and Kasprzak were also in double figures with eleven and ten points, respectively. Point Park was led by Michelle Burns, who scored a game-high 28 points.

AMU's trip to Pennsylvania concludes on Saturday, when the Gyrenes face the Celtics of Carlow University, a USCAA program. Tipoff in Pittsburgh is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday morning.