AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team could not dig themselves out of a first half hole on Tuesday evening, and dropped a 60-49 decision to the Edward Waters College Tigers at the Rhodora J. Donahue Academy gymnasium in Ave Maria. AMU cut a 21-point EWC lead down to seven in the third quarter, but could not come all the way back in their final home game before the Christmas holiday.

A slow start ultimately proved to be fatal for the Gyrenes, as the first AMU field goal did not come until the 3:18 mark of the first quarter, a layup by Cathreveny Cherestal. Ave Maria suffered five turnovers and eight missed shots before getting on the board. Edward Waters outscored AMU by an 18-3 margin in the opening ten minutes, which was capped by a late layup from La'quanza Glover.

The Gyrenes started to inch their way back in the second quarter, starting to rally after the Tigers had built a 21-point lead, 29-8, with 4:44 remaining in the half. For the remainder of the quarter, the Gyrenes outscored EWC 9-0, with five different AMU players scoring during the surge. The run cut Edward Waters' lead to 29-17 entering the halftime break.

Ave Maria continued to creep back into the game early in the third quarter, cutting Edward Waters' lead down to seven, 37-30, with 3:24 to play following five unanswered points from senior Hunter Chambers. The Gyrenes had a few opportunities to further cut into the EWC lead, but only one field goal from either team would be scored in the final three minutes, a Glover layup that supplied the visiting Tigers with a 39-30 lead entering the fourth quarter.

After outscoring the Tigers in both the second and third quarters, the Gyrenes could not come any closer in the final ten minutes of action. Edward Waters started the final frame on a 7-1, pushing the lead to 15 points. Ave Maria would not be able to get the deficit back under ten points until the closing moments, when two Taylor Allen free throws made it 57-48 with 1:33 on the clock. 

Taylor Allen led the Gyrenes with 16 points in the defeat, while Chambers chipped in ten. As a team, the Gyrenes were doomed by a 2-for-17 performance from three-point range - Chambers made both threes - as well as 20 turnovers. Edward Waters was powered by 20 points and 13 rebounds from La'quanza Glover, while Sha'kawanza Brown and Emari Bell both added double figure efforts for the Tigers.

AMU has one more road game scheduled before Christmas, which will come this Thursday against the Falcons of Florida College. The Gyrenes will head to Temple Terrace for their first meeting with the Falcons in nearly three years, since January 23, 2018,  a 69-47 win by the Gyrenes on the road. AMU has won nine consecutive games in the series between the teams, dating back to 2013. Tipoff between the Gyrenes and the Falcons is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.