DOWAGIAC, Mich. – Once again playing shorthanded, Macomb Women's Basketball had a lead after three quarters but couldn't get shots to fall late in a narrow 48-44 loss to the host Southwestern Michigan Roadunners on Friday (Dec. 12).

The loss, the Monarchs third in a row, drops the team to 5-4 on the season.

Both sides came out of the gates strong with Macomb ahead 15-12 after one quarter of play. The Monarchs struggled in the second quarter and didn't score for the first 8:30 of the frame as the Roadrunners pushed ahead at the half by a 22-19 margin. 

In the third, the Monarchs regrouped offensively to tally 14 points while holding the Roadrunners to eight to take a 33-30 lead into the final stanza. The lead wouldn't last as the Roadrunners scored on four consecutive trips late in the contest to outscore the Monarchs, 18-11, in the frame for the 48-44 decision.

Janiya McWilliams led Macomb with 12 points and nine rebounds and A'Liyah Forris added 10 points and five rebounds to account for the lone two Monarchs in double digits scoring.

Ruby Sandison chipped in seven points to go along with a career-high 13 rebounds, while Maggie Stadler registered five points and MyKenzi Harris had three assists and two steals. 

Playing once again without a pair of starters, the Monarchs were 15-of-56 from the field in the hard-fought loss. 

The Monarchs return to action Wednesday (Dec. 17) when they travel across the border to take on Lambton College. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in Sarnia, Ontario.