ROMEOVILLE, Ill. -- A shorthanded Michigan Tech women's basketball team hung tough for the first half, but wound up with their first loss of the season, a 71-53 defeat at the hands of Lewis University.

Playing without the services of injured point guard Sarah Stream and with Amanda Sieja on the bench due to foul trouble, the Huskies led for nearly the entire first half before Lewis tied the game, 24-24, on a pair of free throws at the 1:07 mark.

The teams traded baskets to start the second half before the Flyers caught fire from beyond the arc and went on a 17-4 run to expand their lead, 51-37. The Huskies tried to claw their way back with some hot outside shooting of their own by Jenna Bartels and Catherine Rottier, but the Flyers, aided by their 66.7 percent three-point shooting, were able to hold off the Michigan Tech charge.

Rottier led the Huskies in scoring with 16 points on six-of-13 shooting. Bartels also reached double figures in scoring with 12 points, all of which came on three-pointers. Ashley Zehren, who got the starting nod in Stream's absence, finished with six points and seven assists.

Michigan Tech will travel to Allendale, Mich., next Friday and Saturday (Nov. 25-26) to compete in Grand Valley State's Days Inn Classic. The Huskies will be facing tonight's opponent Lewis in their first game there -- Friday at 5 p.m.