UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team fell at home to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers by a score of 59-52 on Wednesday night (12/29).  The loss drops the Cardinals to 3-7 overall while the Rangers improve to 8-2 overall.

It would take nearly two minutes for either team to get on the board in the first half, but freshman Kristen Greene (Brown City, Mich.) broke the ice with a free throw to give the Cardinals a 1-0 advantage.  The Rangers, however, would score 11 of the next 13 points to hold an 11-3 lead with 13:21 remaining in the half.  SVSU would use back-to-back triples from sophomore Jasmine Woods (Lansing, Mich./Holt HS) and junior Marah Kyle (Bluffton, Ind.), as well as a layup from Woods to quickly knot the game at 11 points-apiece at the 11:36 mark.  The lead would go back to the Rangers, but the Cards held close and would tie the game once more after a Greene jumper would make the score 18-18 with 4:48 remaining in the first frame.  Parkside would regain the lead and extend it to seven points after a layup by Kristen Ruchti with 15 seconds left, giving it a 30-23 advantage heading into the locker room.

Greene led SVSU in the first half with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting while also leading the rebounding attack, grabbing four in the first 20 minutes.  Woods added five points and senior Brittany Burkhardt (West Bloomfield, Mich./Walled Lake Central HS) had four points.

SVSU would work on cutting into the Parkside lead in the second half, tying the contest at 36-36 with 13:58 remaining in the contest after sophomore Grace Herzog (Linden, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) made good on a layup attempt.  A layup by junior Morgan Hughes (Pinckney, Mich.) would give the Cardinals a 41-38 lead at the 10:17 mark.  The lead would change hands a few times before the Rangers mounted a six-point advantage at the 2:30 mark as the scoreboard read 53-47.  Time would eventually run-out on the Cardinals, as Parkside closed-out for the seven point victory, 59-52.

Burkhardt earned Meijer "Player of the Game" honors after finishing the contest with 12 points and three rebounds.  Greene also had 12 points while adding four rebounds for SVSU in the contest.  Kyle and sophomore Cheritee Green (Wyoming Park, Mich.) each added six points for the Cards.

The Cardinals will be back in action again on Thursday, January 6th, as they travel to play Grand Valley State University in an 8:00 pm contest.