The University of Illinois Springfield women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season on Monday night in St. Joseph, Mo. The Prairie Stars fell to Missouri Western by an 82-72 score.
 
The Griffons won the contest inside the three-point line. Missouri Western scored 40 points inside the paint, shot 52 percent from two-point range, and outrebounded UIS by a 43-27 margin. The Prairie Stars scored 28 points in the paint and shot 38 percent from inside the arc.
 
UIS did win the turnover battle 19-17. It was also hot from the outside, making eight-of-13 three-pointers.
 
Missouri Western outscored the Prairie Stars in each of the first three quarters. The Griffons led 43-36 at halftime. In the third quarter, UIS trailed just 51-48 with 6:16 remaining, but it went over four minutes without a point. Missouri Western hit two three-pointers in that span to go up nine, and it eventually led 64-52 by the end of the third.
 
In the fourth, the Griffons continued extending their lead to as much as 19, before a late UIS rally made the final margin of the game 10 points.
 
Lauren Ladowski led UIS with 22 points and five steals, and she also collected four rebounds and three assists. She made seven-of-13 from the field, including two-of-three free throws, and was six-of-six from the free-throw line. Olivia Travis added 11 points on five-of-seven shooting, and Malea Jackson had 10. Ellie Mitchell led the team with five rebounds, and Jackson had a team-best four assists.
 
UIS falls to 4-1 on the year. The Prairie Stars start GLVC play next Monday at home against McKendree.