Fiona Connolly (South Burlington, Vt./Brewster Academy [La Salle]) surpassed her career best in the scoring column for the second straight game, while Allia von Schlegell (Downers Grove, Ill./Nazareth Academy) scored in double figures in the second collegiate game of her career as the Valpo women's basketball team fell 78-48 at Detroit Mercy Saturday afternoon.
 
How It Happened

• It was a slow start for the Beacons, as a 3-point play by Connolly were the team's only points for a stretch of nearly nine minutes to open the game. The host Titans pulled out to a 21-3 lead during that stretch.
• The offense got going in the final minute, with Connolly sandwiching a pair of baskets around a putback from Kayla Preston (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) to pull the Beacons within 21-9 at the end of the opening period.
• UDM converted a pair of free throws on its first possession of the second quarter before the Beacons held the Titans scoreless for a stretch of four-plus minutes.
• Valpo scored 11 points during that span, with Mor Shabtai (Tel Aviv, Israel/Tichonet) knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and von Schlegell hitting a triple of her own. When Milana Nenadic (Kitchener, Ontario/Cameron Heights [Idaho State/Maine]) knocked down a short jumper with 5:42 to play in the first half, the Beacons were within 23-20.
• The Titans maintained a lead in the mid-single digits for the remainder of the half, as Valpo went into the locker room trailing 33-27.
• The Beacons cut the deficit to four in the first minute of the third quarter, as Mikayla Huffine (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran [Quincy/Iowa Western C.C.]) came up with a steal and dropped a pass to Kamryn Winch (Bonne Terre, Mo./North County [Maryville]) for a layup. Valpo had six shots on its next two trips to make it a one-possession game, but was unable to convert.
• UDM took advantage, going on a 10-0 run to extend its lead to 43-29 and force a Valpo timeout approaching the midway point of the quarter. The margin fluctuated between nine and 15 points the rest of the period, with the Titans eventually taking a 53-41 lead with 10 minutes to play.
• Valpo was unable to get any closer than that 12-point spread in the fourth quarter, and the Titans went on to end the game on a 15-0 run to extend the final margin.

 
Inside the Game

• Four days after surpassing her previous career high by scoring 12 points at DePaul, Connolly flew by that mark Saturday to set her new standard with 19 points. The senior, who also set a career high with seven made field goals, tied for game-high honors in that department and was also just one rebound shy of a double-double, pulling down a team-high and career-best nine boards.
• Playing just her second collegiate game, von Schlegell reached double figures in the scoring column with 10 points while not committing a turnover in 26 minutes of action. She connected on three 3-pointers Saturday, giving her five made triples over the first two games of her career.
• Huffine tied her career best with six rebounds and also dished out a game-high four assists.
• Valpo shot just 28.6% (18-of-63) from the floor Saturday, hit just 25% (6-of-24) from 3-point range and was only 46.2% (6-of-13) from the foul line. The Beacons also committed 24 turnovers against their former Horizon League rivals while forcing just 13 UDM miscues.

 
Next Up
Valpo (0-2) closes out a three-game stretch on the road to open the regular season on Wednesday night as the Beacons travel to take on an Iowa State squad ranked among the top-15 in the nation. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m.