Box Score MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Montevallo women's basketball fell to Delta State in a matchup that saw the Lady Statesmen lead from wire to wire.
 
The Falcons fell behind quickly with Delta State opening the game on an 8-0 run before Leisha Steger scored the first Montevallo points with a contested layup. Following another DSU bucket, the Falcons rattled off five-straight points with a Cali Smallwood three-pointer and a driving hook shot from her freshman cohort Lia Edwards. The quarter ended with two threes from either side in consecutive possessions to leave the Falcons trailing, 21-13, after the first 10 minutes.
 
To start the second quarter, the two sides traded triples in the opening minute with a pair of Montevallo threes coming from Smallwood and A.K. Eastman. Following a DSU jumper, Marisa Snodgrass cut the Lady Statesmen's lead to 26-22 with her first points of the game. Moments later, Edwards cut the lead down to just one after a Falcon offensive rebound forcing a DSU timeout. Out of the timeout, Delta State extended its lead with another jumper from long range. The Falcons tied the game after Leisha Steger finished through contact to knot the score at 29 apiece. Edwards converted an old-fashioned three-point play to end a 6-0 Delta State run and send the game to half with a 35-32 DSU lead.
 
Both sides experienced slow starts to the second half until Steger finished under the basket for Montevallo's first points of the second half. Steger added a second third-quarter bucket, finishing through contact, to make it a one-point game. Delta State extended its lead with a triple just before the media timeout. Savannah Cook ended a quick 9-2 run from the Lady Statesmen to make the score 46-40 with 1:39 to play in the third. The final three points of the quarter came at the charity stripe with Montevallo trailing 48-41.
 
Montevallo was the first to strike in the fourth quarter after Edwards nailed a pair of free throws to trim the lead down to 48-43. Delta State ended its scoreless start to the fourth with a successful trip to the line that was immediately answered by Steger's lay-in at the 6:20 mark. Another finish through contact from Edwards ended a quick 7-2 DSU run with an old-fashioned three-point play. Smallwood knocked down a runner to trim the lead down to 55-50 with 3:41 to play. Cook nailed a three after impeccable ball movement from the Falcons to make it a four-point game with 1:32 to play. Montevallo saw several opportunities for a bucket in the closing seconds but couldn't convert and took a 57-53 loss at home.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 53 | Delta State 57
Records: Montevallo 11-9 (9-8 GSC) | Delta State 10-10 (8-8 GSC)
Location: Central State Bank Arena | Montevallo, Ala.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
1^ST | The Falcons got out to a hot start with a 41.7 percent shooting mark in the first quarter on a 5-for-12 mark from the floor. Five points from Leisha Steger highlighted the Falcons opening quarter.
2^ND | Lia Edwards added eight points in the second quarter with the Falcons going 7-for-15 before the half. Montevallo trailed 35-32 heading into the locker room.
3^RD | The Falcons struggled from the field in the third quarter with Montevallo going 4-for-11 from the floor and 0-for-3 from long range.
4^TH | Montevallo's defense held Delta State to just nine points in the final quarter but couldn't overcome a seven-point deficit.
 
GAME NOTES

• The Falcons lost the rebounding battle 38-32 with DSU taking 12 offensive boards to Montevallo's eight.
• Delta State held the lead from wire-to-wire with its largest lead stretching to 10 points at one point in the third quarter.
• Freshman Lia Edwards led the Falcons with a career-high 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting.

 
UP NEXT: Montevallo looks forward to a matchup with Mississippi College at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.