Trailing by 12 with under nine minutes to play on Saturday afternoon, Lourdes cut its deficit to one in the final seconds, but was unable to hit a game-tying shot at the end and fell to Aquinas 43-40 inside the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.
 
"We were right there at the end," head coach John Kenger said afterwards.  "If we can avoid having such a slow start it would help.  We battled, but we just have to find some way of scoring.  I'm proud of the ladies for not giving up."
 
Aquinas never trailed in the game, using a 9-0 run over the final five minutes of the opening quarter to build a 14-5 advantage after 10 minutes of action.  Neither team made a field goal in the first 5:30 of the second stanza, and Lourdes scored five of the final six points in a low scoring quarter to pull within seven, 22-15, at halftime.
 
The Saints pushed the lead back to 11 after the third and added a free throw to start the fourth, giving the hosts a 35-23 lead with 8:30 to play.  A 10-3 run by Lourdes, capped with a jumper from Sirena Pitts (Orlando, Fla./Ocoee H.S.) made it a 38-33 game with four minutes remaining.
 
After an Aquinas basket, Pitts converted a three-point play and Lauryn Gray (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua H.S.) added a free throw to make it 40-37 heading into the game's final minute.  The Saints split a pair of free throws and Logan Ingram (Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant H.S.) drained a three for the Gray Wolves, making it 41-40 with 12 seconds left.
 
Daz'Sha Day converted two free throws with eight ticks remaining on the clock, and following a timeout, Lourdes' final three-point attempt missed the mark and time expired.
 
Pitts and Baylee Baldwin (Ottawa Lake, Mich./Whiteford H.S.) led Lourdes with nine points each while Erica Cary (Central City, Ky./Muhlenberg County H.S.) added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
The Gray Wolves shot just 20.6% from the floor for the day, including making just 3-of-27 (11.1%) three-point attempts.
 
Aquinas (5-4, 3-0 WHAC) shot 31.3% from the field and just 2-of-16 (12.5%) from three-point range, but outrebounded the Gray Wolves 50-40 for the game.
 
Marissa Brady and Jaylynn Williams led the Saints with 14 points each while Camaryia Williams pulled down 16 rebounds.
 
Lourdes (2-7, 1-2) returns home on Tuesday evening as the Gray Wolves host Cornerstone.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.