After getting their first victories since early December over the break, the women’s basketball team returned to its slump on the road this past week, as Davenport and No. 9 Grand Valley were too much for the Cardinals to keep up with.

Thursday, Jan. 10, saw the Lady Cards going up against their toughest challenge of the season in the top-10 ranked GVSU Lakers. The difference in talent was evident, as the women couldn’t crack 50 points in an 18-point loss, 64-46.

Junior transfer Aaliah Hill put up 14 points and a pair of steals in her first game as a Cardinal.

The team didn’t see any more luck when it came to Davenport on Saturday, Jan. 12, as the team fell in similar fashion, 73-57.

The Cardinals never really had a chance in the contest as Davenport took control from the start, gaining a nine-point lead in the first quarter.

SVSU struggled even further as the second quarter played out, only scoring six points via a couple of three-pointers from freshman guard Maddie Barrie and senior forward Abby Duffy. The team finished the first half shooting 6-32 from the floor, giving them a 21-point de cit to overcome going into the third quarter.

Senior guard Hannah Settingsgaard got something going for the Cardinals to begin the second half, putting up a pair of quick baskets in an attempt to get some momentum going for the team.

However, the Panthers held the Cardinals scoreless for the next five minutes, increasing their lead to 26 by the end of the third.

The game ended with Davenport keeping their foot on the gas pedal, finishing the game 73-57.

Duffy was the Cardinal to fight the hardest in the final quarter, putting up four points and grabbing the team’s only three rebounds of the entire quarter. Freshman guard Maddie Maloney was the only Cardinal to see any real luck from the floor in the final quarter, going 2-2 from behind the arc.

The team will look to salvage their season this week at Ashland on Thursday, Jan. 17, at 5:30 p.m. and again at Wayne State on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 1 p.m.

Reporting from Dylan Powell, Sports Editor