Joliet, Ill. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's basketball team fell behind early and never recovered as the RedHawks lost to the No. 9 team in the country St. Francis (Ill.), 69-37, at the Sullivan Center, Wednesday.

USF (2-1, 1-0 CCAC) started out the game on a 11-0 run and never looked back. Lauren Smolen (Crown Point, Ind./Lake Central) ended the early drought with a basket. 

After a basket by Breanna Boles (Lapel, Ind.) made it 13-4, the Fighting Saints scored the last nine points of the quarter to make it 22-4 to end the period. 

Smolen started the second quarter with a basket to make it 22-6 then USF made another run. The Fighting Saints made it 30-6 after scoring eight points in a row. 

Boles nailed a huge three-pointer to end that run then Michaela Schmidt (Highland, Ind./Highland) hit a jumpr to make it 30-11. Schmidt ended the half scoring the last four points to make it 36-18 heading into the break. 

USF started on a 15-4 run to start on the second half to make it a 51-22 game. Alexis Vieck (Bicknell, Ind.) ended that drought with a trifecta which made it 51-25. 

Jocelyn Colburn (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) ended the quarter with a basket to look for some momentum going into the fourth quarter. USF led 56-27 after three.

Schmidt hit a pair of free-throws to start the scoring in the fourth quarter to make it 56-29 but that was the closest the RedHawks got the rest of the way. The Fighting Saints came out on top 69-37.

Schmidt led the RedHawks with a near double-double with 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Boles also scored in double figures for IUN, as the freshman scored nine points. 

Kaitlin Aylward led the Fighting Saints with 29 points. 

IUN (2-2, 0-1 CCAC) returns to action Saturday, November 9 as the RedHawks travel to Grand Rapids, Mich. to take on the Aquinas Saints, who was receiving votes in the preseason coaches poll and that game will be starting at 4 p.m. CT.