ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Syerra Cunningham (Beach Park, Ill.) scored a career-high 16 points and Jameeshia Armstrong (Chicago, Ill.) added a career-best 15 points in the University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team's 84-70 defeat to Maryville Sunday afternoon at Moloney Arena.

It was Cunningham's best game as a Prairie Star as she pulled down 14 rebounds, including nine offensive boards for her third double-double of the season. She finished 8-of-13 shooting from the field.

After scoring nine points on Friday against UMSL, Armstrong scored 15 points in  33 minutes of action, both season-highs. Senior Courtney Knuckles rounded out the double-digit scoring efforts for UIS with 13 points to go with a career-high seven assists.

The Prairie Stars fell behind early in this one as Maryville scored the game's first 10 points. UIS fought back and eventually tied the game at 17 at the 12:39 minute-mark after a layup from sophomore Caroline Kelty (River Forest, Ill.). Armstrong led the way for the visitors in the first half, scoring seven points on 3-of-7 shooting.

The score remained close for the remainder of the half and after a jumper from Leslie Hairston (Glendale, Ariz.) with 3:47 left in the half, UIS trailed by only four, 35-31. The Saints scored the final six points of the half to take a 41-31 lead into halftime. UIS shot 40 percent from the field in the period.

In the second stanza, UIS cut the defecit to seven with four straight points around the 17:26 minute-mark. That was as close as the Prairie Stars came though as the Saints stretched their advantage to as many as 18 in the second half. Both teams made the same number of shots and free throws in the second period, but Maryville converted five three-point shots to the Prairie Stars' one.

UIS shot 42 percent from the floor in the game and won the rebounding battle 43-42. Junior Jessica Warren (University Park, Ill.) blocked a career-high four blocks in the loss.

The Prairie Stars return to Springfield next week for games against Quincy and Truman State.