NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College women's basketball team came out on the wrong end of a defensive battle against Buena Vista University (BVU) in a 55-52 loss on Saturday. 

The Knights held the Beavers to 34.5 percent shooting overall and 18.8 percent (3-16) from beyond the three-point arc, but could not find the bottom of the net on the other end enough to take advantage.

MLC shot 23.4 percent for the game and 16.7 percent (4-24) from distance offensively.

The Knights started strong and held a 14-10 lead after the first quarter, but the game turned over the next 10 minutes as the Beavers outscored MLC 15-5 in the second quarter on the way to a 25-19 halftime lead.

BVU continued its momentum into the fourth quarter with a 43-34 lead, and quickly pushed its advantage into double digits until the final minutes, when MLC ran off nine straight points to cut the Beavers' lead to 51-50 with 13 seconds remaining. 

That would be as close as the Knights could get, however, as BVU made four straight free throws to close the game and secure the win.

Jordyn Heckendorf battled foul trouble to lead all players with a career-high 23 points. She made seven of the team's 15 field goals and three of the Knights' four three-pointers. She also tied Anna Treder for the team lead with six rebounds. 

Emma Nelson and Kortney Behnke each finished with six points. 

MLC fell to 1-6 on the season in defeat. BVU improved to 2-1 with the win. 

The Knights will return to action on Thursday, December 2, when they host Viterbo in an exhibition contest scheduled to tip off at 7:00 p.m.