MONMOUTH, Ore. - Opening the second half with a 10-0 run and outscoring Dixie State by nine in the second half was not enough in the 81-74 loss for Saint Martin's to wrap up the GNAC/PacWest Challenge.

After trailing by 16 at halftime, the Saints (0-2) made adjustments to trimmed Dixie State's (1-1) lead to two in the second half. The Trailblazers shot 41.4 percent from beyond the arc to stave off the Saints' comeback attempt.

Dixie State jumped out early in the first quarter, backed by an 8-0 run, to take a 12-4 lead with 4:08 left in the quarter. Two free throws by Makenna Schultz led to two baskets in the paint for Saniah Simpson-Patu, cutting the score to 12-10 in only two minutes. The Trailblazers extended their lead out to 19-12 with a closing 7-2 sprint.

Simpson-Patu and Lauren Lindley knocked down a pair of free throws to pull the Saints' within one possession to open the second quarter. Hannah Reynolds scored on the fastbreak to put Saint Martin's down one with 7:32 left in the half. Dixie State responded with 25-6 run to pull ahead and carried a 16 lead into halftime.

Coming out of the locker room, the Saints looked like a different team. Beginning with a layup from Elin Johansson, the Saints began chipping away at the score. Jayla Russ, Rebekah Baugh, and Johansson all connected on their shots to pull the Saints within in six on a 10-0 opening run. Dixie State stretched the lead back to 51-41 with 6:16 left in the quarter until baskets from Russ and Reynolds put SMU within one possession again, 52-50, at the 2:55 mark. However, the Trailblazers closed out the quarter on an 8-2 run and a 60-52 lead.

A pair of free throws by Johansson and a corner 3-pointer by Baugh once again drew Saint Martin's to within one possession at 60-57. Dixie State was able to hold off the Saints' second half rally by knocking down a couple baskets in the paint, along with two key 3-pointers, clinching the 81-74 victory.

"We struggled to execute our game plan in the first half," said head coach Christy Martin. "We adjusted at half and did a better job of running their shooters off the 3-point line, which put us in a better opportunity to compete. I was pleased with the fight and competitive spirit to come back. Today was a building block. We need to use these early games to get better with each game so we can be competitive in league play."

Johansson led all scorers with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting, along with three rebounds. Simpson-Patu put together a complete game with 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Reynolds added 13 points, six rebounds and a team-leading five assists. Baugh, Russ and Shyler Sullivan combined for 19 points and six rebounds.

As a team, the Saints shot 23-for-58 (39.7 percent) from the floor, 2-for-14 (14.3 percent) beyond the arc and 26-for-34 (76.5 percent) at the free throw line. Saint Martin's collected 39 rebounds, one shy of Dixie State, with 13 assists on 14 turnovers and three steals.  The Saints recorded 36 points in the paint along with 14 off turnovers and 14 from the bench.

The Saints travel to Tacoma, Washington on Friday, Nov 17 for a match-up with Puget Sound at 6:00 p.m.