ABILENE, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana junior guard Erica Hernandez scored 16 points to lead four Lady Lions in double figures, but it was not enough at Abilene Christian held off SLU for a 75-74 victory in Southland Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Moody Coliseum.
 
Southeastern fell to 7-14 overall and 3-7 in league play, including an 0-10 record away from home. The Lady Lions rallied from nine points down, but senior guard Elizabeth Styles' turnover on the final possession ended SLU's chances of completing the comeback. ACU (12-10, 4-7 Southland) defeated the Lady Lions for the second straight season.
 
Southeastern made a season-high 13 three-point field goals in Saturday's loss. Hernandez was joined in double figures by senior forward Annessa De La Cruz (13 points), junior guard Peaches Anderson (11 points) and Styles (10 points).
 
Senior forward Jameika Hoskins fell just short of a double-double with eight points and 11 rebounds. Styles led SLU with six assists and two steals.
 
ACU was led by double-double efforts from Lizzy Dimba (17 points, 13 rebounds) and Shelby Shelstead (17 points, 15 rebounds). Suzzy Dimba and Whitney West pitched in with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
 
Southeastern led by as many as 10 points in the opening half. The Lady Lions would go into the break with a 47-41 advantage.
 
For the second straight game, SLU went cold in the second half, making 29 percent (9-of-31) of its field goal attempts after the break. ACU took advantage of the Lady Lions' offensive struggles, taking a 71-62 lead on a pair of Shelstead free throws with 6:48 remaining.
 
The Lady Lions gradually clawed their way back in to the game, as a Styles three-pointer cut the lead to one with 42 seconds left. The two teams traded empty possessions in the final seconds with Southeastern earning one last try with six seconds left. Junior forward Nanna Pool with three seconds left, SLU got the rebound, but Styles threw it away to end the Lady Lion comeback hopes.
 
Southeastern will next travel to McNeese State for a 7 p.m. contest on Thursday in Lake Charles. The game will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net.