ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Quincy University women's basketball team dropped its second straight contest Thursday night, falling to Maryville inside Moloney Arena. The Saints shot over 50 percent from the field and from beyond the arc, pulling away early en route to their 20th win of the season.

Maryville came out firing on its home floor, jumping to a 17-4 lead in the opening six minutes while knocking down a pair of three-pointers to set the tone.

The Hawks trimmed the deficit in the final four minutes behind buckets from Sydney Runsewe and Reagan Reed, but Maryville still held a 25-15 advantage after one quarter. The Saints shot 10-of-18 from the field in the opening frame, while seven Quincy turnovers contributed to the early hole.

Maryville's hot shooting continued to start the second, opening on a 15-5 run over the first five minutes that included three triples to double the lead to 40-20.

The Hawks answered with a brief 5-0 run, but the Saints closed the half on a 9-2 surge, knocking down two more three-pointers to take a 49-27 lead into the break. Maryville shot 57 percent in the quarter and went 5-of-6 from deep to create separation.

Quincy continued to battle in the third, but the Saints maintained control. Though not as efficient as earlier periods, Maryville still outscored QU 19-16 and added three more three-pointers to extend the lead to 68-43 heading into the fourth.

Maryville opened the final frame with an 11-2 run to push the lead beyond 30 and put the game out of reach. The Hawks closed on a 15-6 run to narrow the final margin to 85-60. Both teams shot 50 percent in the fourth quarter, finishing the frame tied at 17.

Quincy shot an efficient 48 percent from the field but struggled from distance (6-of-19) and at the free-throw line (6-of-11). Maryville proved too effective offensively, shooting 52.6 percent overall, 52.2 percent from three-point range, and 81.3 percent at the line.

Turnovers proved costly, as the Saints converted 26 points off 22 Quincy miscues, the eighth game this season the Hawks have committed 20 or more turnovers. Maryville also showcased its depth, scoring 48 bench points.

Acheampomaa Danso led the Hawks with 17 points, her 11th double-figure performance of the season, knocking down eight field goals to match her career high while adding three steals and two blocks on the defensive end. Blair Eftink and Katey Flynn also reached double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Maryville placed four players in double figures and assisted on 22 of its 30 made field goals.

Quincy will look to return to the win column in another challenging road test as the Hawks travel to Lebanon, Illinois, to face McKendree University. The Bearcats sit comfortably inside the top eight of the GLVC standings with a 12-5 conference record, while Quincy currently holds seventh place at 10-7. Illinois Springfield and Upper Iowa remain close behind in the eighth and ninth spots, adding extra importance to the matchup as the regular season winds down.