MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's basketball team opened its season at home against Loyola Chicago and fell to the Ramblers by a 59-55 score.
 
Jorey Buwalda burst out of the gate for the Panthers, recording a double-double with 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting and a tied her career-best with 14 rebounds.
 
The Ramblers, however, capitalized on Milwaukee's miscues, scoring 22 points off 24 Panther turnovers. Loyola Chicago was led by Alex-Anne Bessette, who tallied 12 points off the bench, while Alexa Kinas and Audrey Deptula each added nine in the win.
 
"We've got to turn the ball over a little less," noted head coach Kyle Rechlicz. "We had strings where we were turning the ball over at way too high of a rate."
 
Milwaukee started out strong as Buwalda got the scoring started with a layup and netted the Panthers' first 10 points, giving MKE a 10-9 lead early. Sophia Rampulla drained a three-pointer, and Jada Williams scored off a steal by Rampulla to push the advantage to 15-9.
 
After a brief scoring drought for both sides, Micayla Silas connected on a three-pointer off an assist from Grace Lomen to give Milwaukee its largest lead of the game at nine. Loyola scored late off a steal to close the opening quarter with the Panthers ahead 18-11.
 
Loyola Chicago outscored Milwaukee 18-10 in the second period to take a one-point lead into halftime, 29-28. The Panthers shot just 3-of-12 from the floor in the frame and committed six turnovers that led to seven Rambler points.
 
"When teams pressure us, and Loyola definitely did in the second quarter, I think it puts us in a position where we need to do a better job of finding scoring," added Rechlicz. "I don't think that we moved the ball as well and we over-dribbled, but when we got into the fourth quarter we started executing better."
 
Loyola Chicago extended its lead in the third, outscoring Milwaukee by a 15-6 margin to take its largest lead of the night at 44-34 with 1:56 remaining in the period. The Panthers closed the quarter strong, scoring the final six points on free throws from Silas and Valerie Cassidy-De Falco, followed by a Buwalda layup with 24 seconds left.
 
Milwaukee had its chances in the fourth and briefly took the lead with two minutes remaining on a circus shot by Payton Rechlicz inside the right elbow. However, the Panthers were unable to hold on as Loyola Chicago scored on the next possession and again following another takeaway.
 
"I think some of it too is playing at home for the first time with some jitters, but I think we'll settle in as we get going into the season a little more," Rechlicz concluded.
 
Williams, Rampulla, and Cassidy-De Falco each finished with seven points, with Williams also securing seven rebounds. Silas added six points, while and Rechlicz chipped in with five. Williams and Rampulla each led the team with two assists apiece.
 
Milwaukee will hit the road for its next two games, beginning Friday evening at Northern Illinois. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Convocation Center in DeKalb, Ill.