FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTEVALLO – Despite a strong second-half run, the University of Montevallo women’s basketball team fell to Faulkner University 73-65 in a non-conference game Nov. 27 at BankTrust Arena.

The Falcons erased a 19-point deficit early in the second half and temporarily took a one-point lead before Faulkner took over down the stretch.

Junior Alexsis Brown led the Falcons (2-4) with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc.

Senior Carolyn Taite, who grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and sophomore Taylor Beverly added 12 points each. Taite finished 8-of-11 from the charity stripe, while Beverly shot 5-of-10 from the floor.

Junior Shay Bonner contributed nine points on 3-of-6 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from the free-throw line. SeniorAlex Strickland chipped in seven points and seven rebounds.

Bonner’s layup less than two minutes into the game gave the Falcons their only lead in the first half at 4-2.

Faulkner used a 16-0 run late in the first half to take a 29-12 lead following a jumper by M.C. Bell with 7:58 left in the opening half. Faulkner led by 18 points, 44-26, heading into the locker room at halftime.

Brittany Carter knocked down a jumper to give Faulkner a 46-27 lead before the Falcons used a 25-5 run to take a 52-51 lead following a 3-pointer by Brown with 10:56 left in the game.

However, Faulkner responded with a 12-1 run to push its lead back to double digits with just more than six minutes remaining in the game. Montevallo cut the deficit to 67-61 with 1:40 left in the game following a free throw by Bonner, but the Falcons couldn’t cut it to a one-possession game down the stretch.

Montevallo returns to action Dec. 1 with a home game against non-conference opponent Stillman College. Tip off is set for 1:30 p.m. at BankTrust Arena.