LACEY, Wash. --- The Western Oregon women's basketball team led for most of the first 25 minutes of the contest but fell short against Saint Maritn's 58-53 Saturday afternoon at Marcus Pavilion.

The Wolves (7-8 overall, 3-4 GNAC), who played without the conference's fourth-leading scorer Bella Pedrojetti (16.4 ppg), led the Saints (10-6, 3-4) all but two minutes of the contest when a Ciona Wells free throw with 4:06 left in the third quarter made it 38-33 as WOU led 11-7 after one and 26-21 at the half.

But SMU went on a 6-0 run to take a 39-38 lead with 3:20 left in the third. Wells scored on a layup on WOU's next possession to regain the lead - but it would be its last as a 3-pointer by the Saints with 1:49 remaining gave SMU the lead for what turned out to be for good.

However, the Wolves trailed only by three after a free throw by Natalie Brown with 2:50 left in the fourth made it 54-51. But it was WOU's last points until a layup by Enid Vaifanua with seven seconds left made the final 59-53.

Vaifanua and Mya India Thomas led WOU with 11 points apiece with Thomas added a team-best four assists and three steals to go along with five rebounds while Vaifanua had a team-best eight rebounds. Salma Youngblood also finished in double figures with 10 points.

The Wolves return home this upcoming week as they host Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.