HAYS, Kan. -- The No. 4 Pitt State women's basketball team lost only its third game of the season with a 62-43 loss to No. 17 Fort Hays State at Gross Memorial Coliseum on Saturday (Jan. 24). 

The Gorillas played great defense, especially in the second half, but could not get shots to fall. Pitt State had a season low .279 (17-for-61) shooting percentage. The Gorillas were able to hold the Tigers to one of their lowest point totals of the season, however, and held the Tigers without any points from the floor from 7:06 to 1:51 in the second half. 

Lizzy Jeronimus led the Gorillas with 13 points. Antqunita Reed added eight points off the bench. Kylie Gafford pulled down nine rebounds. Hadyn Herlocker had four assists.

The Tigers Kate Lehman led all players with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Keriann Shaw also had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. 

The Gorillas struggled in the first half, shooting only 29 percent (9-for-31) from the floor, while the Tigers hit almost 52 percent (15-of-29). Eighteen of the Gorillas 22 first half points came off the bench, six from Reed and five each from Morgan Westhoff and Mikaela Burgess. Pitt State trailed 34-22 at the half.

Pitt State will play three games next week. The week opens on Wednesday at Northeastern State at 5:30 p.m.. The team returns home for a Thursday night 7 p.m. match up with Central Oklahoma. This will be a women's game only with no men's game following. On Saturday the women travel to Southwest Baptist for a 1:30 p.m. game against the Bearcats.