The Park University women's basketball program was on the road in Canton, Mo. on Saturday, falling to the Wildcats of Culver-Stockton College, 72-53.

The Pirates fall to 7-10 on the year with a 2-8 Heart of America Athletic Conference record, while the Wildcats jump up to 13-6 and 7-4 in the Heart. 

At present, the Pirates are 12th in the Heart and 3 games back from the 8th place Pride of Clarke University. Culver-Stockton has put together a good season and are now 5th in the standings.

Culver-Stockton went on a 21-0 run to begin the game. It was a hard start for Park with none of the Pirate starters scoring in the first quarter and were a combined 0-5 from the field. Sheridan Curley, the senior from Kayenta, Ariz., led Park with five points in the opening quarter. On the other end though, Culver-Stockton was 12-of-21 at 57-percent from the field and won the turnover battle by five in the opening quarter, three to Park's eight turnovers. The Wildcats managed to take a commanding 26-7 lead on only two threes and no free-throws. 

The Pirates were off on a better foot in the second quarter with a 6-0 run by Alexus Woodard and Nadiyah Cooper. Over the next seven minutes though Park would only score four more points and Culver-Stockton hit three more threes for a 15-10 quarter, and went to the half up 41-17 on Park. 

Park was outscored in all quarters except the fourth quarter. At which point, Marina Perdiguero and Woodard, two senior forwards, got in their element with five points apiece as the team shot for a combined 53-percent in the fourth quarter. Still, Culver-Stockton built up quite the lead by as much as 31 points by the end of the third quarter and defeated Park in the game 72-53.

For the game, Park shot 40-percent and the Wildcats were only at 46-percent. Culver-Stockton hit five more three-pointers than Park with nine, but the Pirates were four-of-eight from three, shooting the higher percentage. 

From the free-throw line Park was nine-of-12, while Culver-Stockton was only three-of-six. 

22 Pirate turnovers was a high number, but 18 for the Wildcats was relatively even. Both sides had 20 or more points off turnovers as well.  

Curley was the leading scorer for Park and she hit her new career-high with 11 points and was a perfect three-of-three from beyond the arc. 

Cooper led Park in steals with five for the game and came through offensively with 10 points. 

Woodard came down with seven boards to lead Park and was a basket under the 10-point mark with eight points. Perdiguero was at seven points for the game and did a little of everything with four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

Park will now host Benedictine College in Breckon Sports Center on Wednesday at 5:30pm. WATCH
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