DEFIANCE -- The Heidelberg University women's basketball team rang in the new year with a narrow 66-59 loss at Defiance College.  A 14-point Yellow Jacket run in the third quarter proved to be the difference, despite the best efforts of the pesky Student Princes.

The Berg, which hit a season-high nine 3-pointers, had three reach double figures. Lily Sweeney had a career-high 16 points, buoyed by four 3-pointers.  Hallie Rogers and Morgan Altenburger each had 11 points.  Altenburger added a team-high nine rebounds and three assists.  

Heidelberg slipped to 2-9 overall while Defiance improved to 7-3.  

Riddled with foul trouble in the front court, the Student Princes fell behind by six with 2:12.  A 3-pointer by Lily Sweeney and a bucket by Marissa Thomas brought HU back to within one.  Defiance's Nysha Speed scored before the end of the period.  She would finish with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds.  

A three-point play by Thomas early in the second quarter knotted the game at 18, but the Yellow Jackets went on a 6-0 run.  Anika Sweeney halted the run with a 3-pointer.  Later, back-to-back triples by Rogers and Lily Sweeney put HU on top, 28-26.  Defiance would end the half up 31-30.  

Early in the third, second-chance 3-pointers by Rogers and Lily Sweeney gave Heidelberg a modest two-point lead. Down 41-39, the Yellow Jackets embarked on the fateful 14-point run.  Despite baskets from Alyssa Martin and Lily Sweeney, Heidelberg trailed by 10 after the third.  

The sprightly Student Princes did not quit.  Ignited by an Altenburger three-point play and capped by a Lily Sweeney triple, HU opened the fourth with a 7-0 run.  Later, a trey from Rogers brought Heidelberg to within two at 61-59 with three minutes to play.  

The hosts finished the game on a 5-0 run.  

Heidelberg shot a season-best 39.6% from the floor.

The Student Princes will be back in action on Wednesday when they trek to University Heights.  Tipoff with No. 3 John Carroll is slated for 7 p.m.