The Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team led for the majority of Friday night's game against the 18th-ranked University of Chicago, but ultimately could not hold on for the victory in a 52-44 loss to the Maroons at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland.

The loss dropped the Spartans to 8-5 overall, including a 1-1 University Athletic Association record. The Maroons improved to 9-3 overall and to 1-1 in the league.

Stats and Standouts

• Junior guard Jordyn Call matched her season-high with 14 points to lead all CWRU players.

• Junior forward Maura Schorr added 13 points on a six-of-12 shooting effort and finished with seven rebounds, two steals, and three blocks.

• Senior guard/forward Emily Plachta led the squad with nine rebounds and added three blocks and a steal while chipping in six points.

First Period

• Chicago scored the first six points of the game before Call took the lid off the basket with a jumper with 7:20 on the clock. The basket started a 7-1 run for the Spartans that saw the team tie the game at 7-7 on a three-pointer by Call with 4:25 to go in the period.

• With the game tied at 9-9 and time running down in the quarter, first-year guard Christen Banks hit one-of-two free throws to give CWRU a 10-9 lead by the end of the frame.

Second Period

• The Maroons hit a two on their first possession of the second quarter, but junior guard Mya Hartjes responded with a three to put CWRU back in front 13-11.

• A pair of unanswered threes from Plachta increased the Spartans' lead to seven points, 23-16, with 2:48 left in the half.

• Chicago pulled back within a point with a 6-0 run, but Call ended the stretch with a layup with 37 seconds to go in the frame and CWRU took a 25-22 lead into halftime.

Third Period

• CWRU maintained a lead for the entirety of the third period.

• The Maroons cut the lead to a point, 29-28, with 4:35 to go in the stanza, but the Spartans responded with an 8-2 run, taking a 37-30 lead after a jumper by Call with 38 seconds left in the third.

• A three-pointer by Chicago just before the buzzer cut the CWRU lead to four, 37-33, going into the final frame. 

Fourth Period

• Chicago scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to go in front 40-37 with 7:55 on the clock and take the lead for the first time since the opening minute of the second period.

• The Maroons remained ahead until the 3:39 mark when a three-point shot by Call tied the game at 42-42.

• The teams exchanged baskets on the next two possessions, tying the game at 44-44 with 2:55 remaining. The score stayed stagnant until a layup by Chicago's Alexis Clark put the team ahead with a layup with 1:03 to go in the game.

• CWRU missed its next shot and fouled after a Chicago rebound. After making her first free throw, Annabelle Spotts missed her second to keep the difference at three points, but an offensive rebound by Clark set up a layup for Spotts to put the Maroons ahead by five with 29 seconds left.

• The Spartans would be unable to score the rest of the game as Chicago held on for the eight-point victory.

Spartan Notes

• Call scored in double figures for the second-consecutive game and fifth time overall this season. She is averaging 7.2 points per game this season.

• Schorr finished with 10 or more points for the fifth time this season as well and is averaging 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest.

• CWRU dropped its tenth straight game to the Maroons, falling to 13-51 all-time against Chicago.

Up Next

The Spartans will be back at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland on Sunday, January 18, hosting 13th-ranked Washington University (Mo.) at 11:00 a.m.