AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team climbed a mountain nearly seven years in the making on Saturday, dealing a conference loss to the Southeastern Fire for the first time in 108 games with an 88-78 victory at Donahue Gym Saturday afternoon. Not only did Ave Maria end Southeastern's streak of six straight undefeated regular seasons, the win over the sixth-ranked team in the nation was the highest-ranked team toppled by Ave Maria in program history.

Throughout Saturday's game, the Gyrenes never looked fazed by the sixth-ranked team in the nation, who never led by more than six points. Each of the first three quarters were separated by three points or less, with the game tied at 17 after one quarter, Southeastern leading 43-40 at halftime, and the Fire holding a 63-62 lead at the end of the third quarter. 

Ave Maria's upset was powered by a magnificent fourth quarter, which saw AMU outscore the Fire by a 26-15 margin. Down by four, 70-66, with 7:39 to play, the Gyrenes ripped off an 8-0 run, led by two buckets from Grace Field and one each from Casey Humphrey and Lavariah Armstead. Southeastern cut the Gyrene lead to one, 74-73, before a one-minute stretch all but sealed the Gyrene shocker.

With that one-point lead, Gianna Santacroce knocked down a three-pointer to stretch the edge to four. After a defensive stop, Colleen Shanahan converted on a layup, and another defensive stop led to a second three from Santacroce, extending the Gyrene lead to 82-73. Seven points was as close as Southeastern would get in the last two minutes and change, as AMU iced one of the biggest regular season wins in program history.

Despite giving up 78 points, the Gyrenes posted a solid defensive effort. Southeastern was held to 35.3 percent from the field and a 25 percent mark from three-point territory. SEU made just ten field goals in the second half, and knocked down just two three-pointers. Ave Maria also held the Fire to just ten offensive rebounds while grabbing 12 of their own, and forced 17 turnovers to just 15 for the home team. 

Two Gyrenes posted double-doubles in the historic win. Colleen Shanahan scored 16 points and pulled down ten rebounds off the bench, and Grace Field added 14 points and eleven rebounds. Casey Humphrey and Lavariah Armstead were also in double figures for the Gyrenes, with 12 and ten points, respectively. Abbey Phibbs scored nine points, and Santacroce scored six of her her eight on the key three-pointers in the fourth.

The Gyrenes will have little team to rest on their laurels, with another of the Sun Conference favorites awaiting them on Monday. The Gyrenes head up to Babson Park for a meeting with Webber International University in a game that was postponed from Thursday night due to the path of Tropical Storm Nicole. The Gyrenes will look to start 2-0 in Sun Conference play Monday evening, with tipoff from Polk County scheduled for 6:00 p.m.