The Drake University women's basketball team fell to Valparaiso, 71-61, Sunday Jan. 9 in Indiana.
 
The Beacons (4-11. 2-2 MVC) went on an 8-0 run to start the game. Senior forward Caitlin Morrison nailed a shot from beyond the arc less than a minute into the game. A minute later, she nailed another shot from beyond the arc to give Valpo a 6-0 lead.
 
At 5:37 in the first quarter, graduate Maddie Petersen found sophomore Courtney Becker in the paint to put the Bulldogs (9-6, 1-3 MVC) on the board.
 
On Valpo's next possession, they turned over the ball allowing junior Megan Meyer to make a lay-up to minimize the Beacon's lead.
 
With 3:09 left in the second quarter, Petersen drew a foul, sending her to the free throw line for a pair of shots. She made both to tie the game 12-12. Valpo quickly took back the lead after senior Grace White nailed a shot from the arc.
 
The Bulldogs were called for 10 fouls in the first half, compared to the Beacon's five. Drake struggled to find the net until the final two minutes of the half and went into halftime trailing 29-38.
 
Valpo's Morrison opened up scoring in the second half with a layup, but Drake's Petersen quickly made a lay-up to follow, minimizing the Beacons lead to 10.
 
Morrison led Valpo with 21 points, shooting only from the arc and missing only two shots. She was one of four players to score in double digits. 
 
Petersen tallied 12 points and six assists for Drake. Freshman Anna Miller also tallied 12 points but added five rebounds to the books.
 
Miller also tallied two blocks in her 22 minutes on the court.
 
Graduate guard Hannah Fuller led the team in rebounds when she grabbed eight against the Beacons.
 
The Bulldogs head back to Des Moines for a pair of home games. The first meeting is on Jan. 13 against SIU.