AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria women's basketball nearly rallied from 23 points down in the third quarter and pulled to within two before Florida Memorial hung on to upset the Gyrenes, 76-70, in the Sun Conference Tournament Quarterfinals.
 
The Gyrenes came out firing thanks to a hot hand by Macarena Corral. Corral made her first three shots, including two from behind the arc, to help AMU jump out to a 14-2 lead in the opening minutes of the game. Ave Maria struggled to find a rhythm the rest of the half which allowed Florida Memorial to tie the game after a quarter of play at 16 and then take the lead in the second quarter.
 
In the second, the Lions were nearly perfect from three. Florida Memorial made seven of their 10 shots from deep, all from the Battle sisters, to win the quarter 33-15 and take a 18 point lead into halftime.
 
After the lead grew to 23 on another three by Brianna Battle, the Gyrenes were able to get things going on both ends of the court and began to chip away at the deficit. AMU cut the Florida Memorial lead to 15 at the end of the third quarter and got it to single-digits in the opening minutes of the fourth.
 
With just under four minutes to play, Sarah Miller made a pair of free throws to get the Gyrenes to within two, 64-62. Brianna Battle, who had missed several games this season with an injury and just returned on Saturday against AMU In the regular season finale, made three layups on the Lions next four possessions to keep Florida Memorial in front.
 
In the final minute, FMU made all six of their free throws which helped them hold off AMU, 76-70. Every free throw meant something in the final minute as Emily Acosta and Taylor Lopez both made threes in the final 30 seconds to keep the game close.
 
Miller capped a record-breaking season with 17 points and 21 rebounds. Danielle Weinmann nearly finished with a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Acosta and Corral each finished with 11 points.
 
Despite making 10 threes, the third most makes by AMU in a game this season, Florida Memorial was able to match their output from behind the arc. The 35 three-point attempts by the Gyrenes is a season-high. FMU held a six-make edge from the free throw line, converting 18-of-20 compared to 14-of-20 by the Gyrenes.
 
Brianna Battle was the difference on Tuesday night. She made 10-of-23 shots, including 6-of-14 from three, and all six of her free throw attempts to finish with 32 points. She also grabbed 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals while committing only two turnovers. As a team, FMU only turned the ball over 11 times.
 
Brianna's sisters, Kanesha and Tyesha, finished with 16 points and 12 point, respectively. The Battle sisters accounted for all 10 of Florida Memorials 10 made three pointers.
 
Ave Maria dominated second chance points, 22-6, and bench points, 26-16, but lost ground on points off turnovers, 18-4.