CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – The No. 14-ranked Lindsey Wilson women's basketball team lost to St. Thomas (Fla.) 66-72 on Friday afternoon in their opening match of the Julie Costello Memorial Classic.

Amerah Steele led the Blue Raiders (4-2, 1-1 MSC) in scoring with 17 points on the afternoon and led the team in rebounds collecting 11 in the game. Sydnie Hall had 16 points in the game going four of seven from beyond the arc. As a team, Lindsey Wilson shot 36.6 percent overall and outrebounded the Bobcats 46-26 while Lindsey Wilson had 15 turnovers.

The Blue Raiders opened the first quarter well as Hall went two of three in the first five minutes to help Lindsey Wilson open a 10-6 lead. Steele closed out the quarter well scoring eight points to help the Blue Raiders keep a four-point lead at 19-15 to start the second quarter.

The Bobcats stuck around in the second quarter and after four minutes tied the game at 21. The Blue Raiders didn't let the surge from the Bobcats scare them as the team went down to score nine unanswered points in the last two minutes of play to take a 34-26 halftime lead.

Into the third quarter where Hailey Ison opened the second half scoring with back-to-back buckets for the Blue Raiders. A few moments later Maleigha Oldham knocked down her first three-point shot of the game to push the lead to 41-28 opening a 13-point lead over the Bobcats, the largest of the afternoon. The lead didn't last for long as the Bobcats went on a 17-2 scoring run in the final two minutes of the quarter to take a 51-46 lead.

In the final quarter of play, the Blue Raiders faced an uphill battle for the first time in the match after they had led for all three quarters. The team couldn't have gotten off to a better start on their comeback as Hall began the quarter knocking down a three to cut the lead to within two at 49-51. The Bobcats continued to score before layups from Oldham and Jordyn Stephens tied the game at 59-59. Steele put the Blue Raiders back in front with a layup of her own moments later to make it 61-59 before the media timeout.

The Bobcats regained the lead with 3:15 left in the game at 62-61 and were able to fight off every comeback attempt from Lindsey Wilson to hold on for the eventual 66-72 win.

The Lindsey Wilson women's basketball team will continue in the Julie Costello Memorial Classic tomorrow with a match against No. 6-ranked Carroll (Mont.). Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.