FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The No. 3 Nova Southeastern University women's basketball team suffered their first loss of the season, 70-60 in an out-of-conference game against Washburn.
 
The Sharks (5-1), who had overcame at least an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter of each of their last two games, couldn't make the third time a charm on Friday afternoon against the visiting Ichabods (4-1). They had been up six at the half, 33-27, but Washburn dominated the third period 25-11 to go up eight, 52-44.
 
The final quarter started out with the visitors scoring four of the first six to match their biggest advantage of 12, 58-46. Monaye Merritt (R-Sr., Philadelphia) scored four straight quickly for the Sharks to cut it to eight, but that would be the closest they'd get throughout the remainder of the contest.
 
Merritt scored 12 of the team's 16, and of her 14, in the fourth. She matched team-high scoring honors with Molly Blomer (Sr., West Chester, Ohio), who made four 3-pointers on Friday. Katie Barnard (R-So., Granger, Ind.) and Alexis Murphy (Sr., Carlisle, Ohio) each scored eight points on a combined 6-of-11 shooting, while Sarah Kelly (Fr., Huntington, W. Va.) chipped in with seven.
 
In addition to her scoring efforts, Merritt also paced the Sharks with nine rebounds, two steals, the team's only blocked shot, and matched Ida Krogh (Sr., Aarhus, Denmark) with three assists. Barnard and Kayla Wright (Jr., Lauderhill, Fla.) were next in the rebounding category with five apiece.
 
Washburn's Erin Dohnalek came off the bench to lead all players with 17 points, all in the second half. Haley Pfau added 16 and Erika Lane 12 for the victorious Ichabods.
 
Next up for the Sharks is a Sunday matchup that sees them traveling north to take on Valdosta State, with a 2 p.m. tipoff at the Blazers' home arena, The Complex.