The Youngtown State women's basketball team dropped a 74-62 decision to Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon at Beeghly Center.

With the loss, the Penguins fall to 11-9 overall and 4-5 in the Horizon League while the Panthers improve to 7-13 overall and 4-5 in the league.

Three freshmen led the Penguins in scoring as Gabby Lupardus and Taylor Petit had 10 points apiece while Quinece Hatcher had nine. Petit added a team-high seven rebounds.

Leading Milwaukee was Sydney Staver with 19 points, and Brandi Bisping had 15.

The Panthers turned in an impressive fourth quarter shooting 50 percent from the floor and 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. Milwaukee, which led by as many as 16 points in the first half, used a 10-2 run over a 4:12 frame to turn their 58-53 edge into an insurmountable 68-55 lead with 2:39 left in the game.

The Panthers got hot to start the second quarter and led by as many as 16, 35-19. The Penguins rallied and scored nine straight on jumpers by Petit and Jen Wendler and a 3-pointer and layup by Maddie Schires to trim the lead to 35-28. The Penguins trailed at halftime 37-30.

Ny'Dajah Jackson put the Penguins up five after hitting a 3-pointer and converting the free throw after a foul with 7:12 remaining in the first period. Milwaukee, with the aid of two YSU turnovers, scored nine straight points to take a 13-9 lead with 3:30 left in the first quarter. Aulbach hit a 3-pointer to get the Penguins within one, but Schmelzer answered with a 3-pointer of her own to push the Panthers lead back to four, 16-12. Hatcher added a layup with just under a minute left to close out the scoring in the first period.

The Panthers scored the first seven points of the second quarter to push their lead to nine, 23-14, at the 7:21 mark. Alyssa Fischer opened the quarter with a 3-pointer, and Bisping and Staver each hit jumpers for the nine-point edge. Mady Aulbach made her second 3-pointer of the game to get within six, 23-17, but Schmelzer and Tadri Heard each hit 3s to extend the Panthers lead to 29-17.

The Penguins head back to on the road to visit UIC on Thursday. Tipoff is set or 8 p.m. at Credit Union 1 Arena.