ST. PETERSBURG, FLA – The York College Spartans fell one point short, 58-57, against Loras College on Monday afternoon in the second round of the St. Pete Shootout at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. The loss snaps York's ten game win streak as the Spartans suffered their first loss since the season opener against Johns Hopkins.
 
Score: York 57, Loras 58
Records: York 10-2, Loras 7-3
 
How It Happened
• The two offenses struggled to find their footing in the first half as York held a 9-6 lead midway through the first quarter. The Duhawks tied the game at 11 and then took a 14-11 lead on a Sydney Schuler triple with just under a minute left in the quarter.
• The Duhawks got off to a quick start in the second quarter as they scored five straight points to push out to a game-high lead of eight at 19-11. York ripped off eight straight points to tie the game on a Brooklyn Naylor free throw with 5:16 left in the half. After a pair of Emerson Whittenbaugh free throws, Taylor Burda hit a three to give York a 22-21 lead. York scored four of the final six points of the quarter to take a 26-23 lead to the half.
• The Spartans played well early in the third as they pushed out to a 35-27 lead on an Alana Bortner jumper with 5:52 left in the quarter. It would be all Duhawks the rest of the quarter as they outscored York 17-4 over the final 4:53 of the third as they took a 44-39 lead to the fourth.
• The Duhawks led by as many as six in the fourth but the Spartans battled back and eventually took a 54-53 lead on a crafty Savannah Wilson lay up with 3:43 left in the game. Loras scored the next five points in the game to take a 58-54 lead. That set up a wild final minute of the game.
• Bradi Zumbrum split a pair of free throws to draw York to within three at 58-55 with 2:04 left. York got a stop and Burda was fouled. The freshman calmly sank a pair of free throws to get York to within one at 58-57 with 1:35 left. York got another stop and Burda missed a three on York's ensuing possession. The Green and White got another stop but Kayla Ferris just missed a tough running lay up with 21 seconds remaining. Ferris made a huge play in the next five seconds as she got a steal after the Loras inbounds giving York one more shot. Burda missed an open three on York's next possession and Loras got the rebound and called timeout. York forced another turnover and got a timeout with 1.2 seconds left but the Spartans couldn't get a shot off after a desperation heave found the hands of a Duhawk to end the game.
 
Spartan Leaders
Kayla Ferris: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 steals
Savannah Wilson: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Alana Bortner: 7 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists
Bradi Zumbrum: 7 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 blocked shot, 3 steals
 
By the Numbers
The Spartans shot just 36.2% from the floor for the game, their lowest percentage in their last four games … the Spartans struggled from three in the tournament as they were 4-for-23 on Sunday and 3-for-24 on Monday … York was strong from the line as they went 12-for-14 (85.7%) … York has shot over 80% from the line in three games this year … Loras out-rebounded York by nine in the game including 20-14 in the second half … York forced 20 Duhawk turnovers which they turned in 19 points … York improved their turnover numbers in the game as they committed 14 after having a combined 43 turnovers in their last two games … York held the Duhawks to 33.3% shooting from the floor but Loras did convert seven three point field goals, tied for the second-highest total allowed this year after Berry made eight on Sunday.
 
Spartan Notes
The meeting between the two programs is the first in the history of the program … this is York's sixth game in Florida under the guidance of head coach Betsy Witman as York is now 2-4 in the sunshine state … senior Kayla Ferris led the Spartans as she reached double figures for the 11^th time in 12 games this year … Ferris had six more steals, raising her season total to 45 … Ferris leads the MAC Commonwealth in total steals by 15 and in steals per game by 0.8 thefts per game … Savannah Wilson returned to double figures with 15 points after being held to three points in her last two games ... junior Bradi Zumbrum pulled in a season-high 11 rebounds in the game. 
 
Up Next
The Spartans return to action two weeks from today as they host Susquehanna University in non-conference action at Wolf Gymnasium. The game will kick off a three-game home stand for the Green and White. Tip time is scheduled for 6:00 pm in York.