FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

Box Score

BAYAMON, P.R. (Dec. 18, 2014)-- A season-high 31 turnovers unhinged the University of Wisconsin-Parkside women's basketball team's bid for an undefeated run through Puerto Rico, squandering an 18-point lead in a 63-59 setback to host University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon on Thursday night to close the squad's three game tour of the island.
 
Sarah Mlachnik drained a three with 14:59 left in the game, giving the visiting Rangers (7-3) its largest advantage of the game at 46-28. Over the next four minutes the pesky Vaqueras (3-7) whittled the UW-Parkside buffer to single digits courtesy of a 10-0 run.
 
The visiting Rangers increased the buffer back up to double digits at 55-45 with 5:51 left off a pair of Tara Knapstein free throws but the Vaqueras again charged back, mounting a 14-2 run to seize their first lead of the contest with 2:22 remaining. A Knapstein jumper tied the game just 11 seconds later but the Rangers were unable to score the rest of the way, committing three turnovers in the final 75 seconds in the four-point defeat.
 
UW-Parkside enjoyed a 35-27 lead after 20 minutes of action. The Green and White charged out to a 14-3 advantage seven minutes into the first half but the host Vaqueras used a run of their own, netting the next seven points to cut the Ranger lead to just four with 11:10 left.
 
Puerto Rico-Bayamon continued to chip into the Ranger lead, closing within two at 27-25 with 2:43 left in the first half.  The Green and White again utilized a run to pad the lead, scoring six of the next seven points to reestablish a seven-point buffer before taking the eight-point edge into the locker room after Justine Boerger nailed a jumper with 17 seconds left.
 
Three Rangers ended the night in double figures with Knapstein leading the way with 15 points off the bench while also grabbing seven rebounds. Sarah Mlachnik added 13 points and nine boards while Gaby Bronson had 11 points and six assists.
 
UPR-Bayamon's Daneichka Canales poured on a game-high 23 points while Natalie Diaz chipped in 18.
 
UW-Parkside dominated the glass, owning a 48-17 rebounding edge, including 16 on the offensive end but the Vaqueras won the turnover battle with just eight to the Rangers' 31. UPR-Bayamon generated 33 points off the Ranger miscues and benefitted from 38 trips to the free throw line, sinking 22 of those while Parkside made just 12 total trips to the line.
 
The Rangers return to the continental United States and are back in action on Dec. 30, taking on Division I University of Toledo in an exhibition contest. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. Eastern Time.