GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Down 13 to begin the fourth quarter, Cornerstone stormed back, coming within three points of Aquinas before falling 61-56 on Saturday afternoon. Olivia Kubik (14 points) and Kennedy Helderop (13 points), led the Golden Eagles against their rivals down the beltline. With this loss, the Golden Eagles drop to 3-14 overall, 1-8 in the WHAC.

Game Flow:

• Kennedy Helderop got things started well for the Golden Eagles when she hit a three 24 seconds into the contest.
• Kennedy Helderop continued to have a hot hand, hitting a pair of layups midway through the first quarter, giving CU a 9-2 lead with 5:40 remaining in the opening quarter.
• With CU up 14-9, AQ went on a 7-0 run, taking a 16-14 lead with 1:26 left in the first quarter.
• Kaycee Sluiter hit a jumper with under a minute remaining, and that finished the first quarter scoring and a 16-16 tie heading into the first break.
• AQ went on a 6-1 run to start the second quarter before Olivia Kubik splashed a three to cut the AQ lead to 22-20.
• After a two and a half minute scoring draught, AQ and CU traded threes, with Jaylee Long her three on the Stephanie Ainsworth assist. AQ still held a two-point lead at 25-23.
• AQ would score the final bucket of the first half as the Saints took a 27-23 advantage into halftime.
• Cornerstone only scored two points in the first five minutes of the third quarter, when Emma Costen hit an early bucket.
• Down 40-28, CU hit back-to-back threes after Olivia Kubik and Parrish Hudson hit from deep to cut the AQ lead to 40-34.
• Parrish Hudson drained another three for CU late in the third before AQ scored the final bucket of the third quarter with Aquinas taking a 50-37 lead into the final break.
• The fourth quarter started off slowly, with neither team scoring until just about four minutes into it when AQ hit a three.
• CU then went on a 13-1 run to pull the AQ lead after a few big threes and a few free throws, capped by a Kennedy Helderop three to cut the AQ lead to 54-50.
• The teams traded free throws for the next minute, with the Saints still holding a four-point lead, 58-54 with 30 seconds remaining in the game.
• CU was able to pull within three points near the end, but Aquinas was able to finish the game, taking the win 61-56 in a thrilling rivalry game.

 
By the numbers:
14 – Olivia Kubik led the Golden Eagles with 14 points in the game. 
35/22 – CU had 35 points off the bench compared to AQ's 22.
37.5 – CU had a solid day from beyond the arc, going 9-24 on the day.
 
What's next? 
Cornerstone hits the road for the seventh consecutive game to take on Indiana Tech this Wednesday, January 19 at 6 p.m.   
 
Women's Basketball Contact: Jesse Campbell
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