UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University women's basketball team fell to Madonna University tonight (Dec. 5) by a score of 62-55. 

"Meijer Player of the Game" Cheritee Green (Wyoming Park, Mich.) led the Cardinals with 16 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Green went 3-for-6 from the field and 10-for-12 from the free-throw line for the game.

Samantha Zirzow (Goodrich, Mich.) also posted double-figure points, recording 11 for the game.  Grace Herzog (Linden, Mich./Powers Catholic HS) pulled down six boards for the Cardinals.  

Neither team would hold a lead larger than three points for the first nine minutes of the contest, but SVSU would find themselves down to the Crusaders by ten points just 1:13 later.  On the ensuing possession, a steal by Aysha Boston (Detroit, Mich./Renaissance HS) would spark an 11-4 run that brought SVSU back within three, 23-20, with 4:11 remaining in the first half. That would be as close as the Cardinals would get as they entered halftime down 29-22.

Madonna would build their lead as high as 21 with 7:38 left in the game, as turnovers plagued Saginaw Valley. The Cardinals would then begin to chip away at the Crusaders' lead, benefiting from Madonna's second half foul trouble.  SVSU, as a team, would shoot 12-of-17 from the charity stripe in the second half, cutting the deficit to four with 44 seconds to go in the game. Unfortunately, the lead was too much to overcome, as Madonna would hit free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 2-4 on the season, while the Crusaders improve to 4-4.  SVSU returns to action on Thursday (Dec. 8) when they travel to Wayne State for a 5:30 pm start.