BOX SCORE BUFFALO, N.Y. (Dec. 4, 2013) – The Saint Francis University women's basketball team used a season-high 23 points from Alexa Hayward (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) and career-high 15 points from Brooklyn Taylor (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) to mount an impressive comeback, but it fell short against Buffalo as SFU fell, 87-77, on Wednesday evening.

Hayward finished with a 9-17 shooting night, including four triples for the Red Flash (2-4), while Taylor shot 5-of-9 from the field and scored eight straight points for SFU during a span in the second half. The Bulls (5-2) got a career-best effort from Makenzie Loesing who dropped 29 points.

"I was upset with the defensive effort and communication early in the game," SFU head coach Joe Haigh said. "We gave up too many points early and put ourselves in a hole that was tough to get out of."

Saint Francis struggled offensively to open the game, the Flash started 0-10 from the field before Brooklyn Taylor (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) knocked down a three-pointer four minutes into the contest.  The Bulls took a 21-4 lead with under 12 to play in the first half as the offensive woes for SFU continued.

The Flash started to get it going late in the first period and after an 8-0 SFU was within seven at the 4:30 mark. SFU got the margin down to six with a minute to play, but UB got two quick buckets and took a 41-31 lead into the locker room.

Coming out of the break, the Bulls gave up a Williams lay-up then embarked on an 8-0 run and eventually extended their lead to 18, the largest of the game. The Flash proved resilient again as they went on another 8-0 run of their own to narrow the gap to 10 with 15 minutes to play in the second half.

Both teams continued to trade momentum as the second period continued. Brooklyn Taylor (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) scored eight straight points for SFU and the Flash trailed by just four 4:23 to play. Buffalo used some trips to the free throw line to pull away in the last two minutes to take the game.

Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) finished with 16 points and game-high 14 rebounds for the Flash, Aisha Brock (Jacksonville, Fla./Potter's House Christian Academy) was also in double-figures with 12 points off the bench.

SFU won the turnover battle as they forced 27 Buffalo mistakes. SFU lost the in the rebounding column, 51-50. The Flash finished the game shooting just 31.8% (27-85).

Saint Francis is back in action next when it welcomes Duquesne for a 2 p.m. match-up on Sunday. It will be SFU's 'Toys for Tots' game. The Red Flash fell to the Dukes last season in Pittsburgh, 69-38.