San Antonio, Texas- The Our Lady of the Lake University women's basketball team fought hard on Saturday night but came up short against a strong Nelson (TX) squad, falling 84-57 on the road. Despite the final margin, the Saints showed heart and resilience throughout much of the contest, especially in the opening half.

The first quarter was tightly contested, with both teams trading baskets and defensive stops. OLLU trailed just 21-22 after ten minutes of play, keeping pace with Nelson's efficient offense through tough defense and solid ball movement. In the second quarter, the Saints continued to battle, but Nelson managed to extend its lead slightly, outscoring OLLU 15-12 to take a 37-33 advantage into halftime.

Coming out of the break, the Saints looked to close the gap, but Nelson caught fire in the third period, shooting at an impressive clip to outscore OLLU 29-17. The fourth quarter saw a similar trend as the Saints struggled to find their rhythm offensively, while Nelson's hot hand continued leading to an 18-7 closing stretch.

Shayla Dede led OLLU with a strong offensive performance, scoring 17 points and setting the tone early with confident drives and jumpers. Evangeline Hernandez added 12 points and led the team with three assists, also contributing two steals on the defensive end. Amya Miller-Singleton was active on the boards, grabbing a team-high four rebounds, while the rest of the Saints contributed to a balanced effort on the glass.

OLLU shot 31 percent from the field compared to Nelson's 54 percent and was outrebounded 39-25. Still, the Saints showed flashes of their potential, forcing three lead changes and keeping the game competitive through much of the first half.

The Saints will look to bounce back quickly as they return home to Mabee Gymnasium on Friday night to face Haskell. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CDT, and OLLU will aim to put together a full 40-minute effort in front of their home crowd.