ABILENE, Texas—McNeese women's basketball team placed five players in double figure scoring but got off to a slow start here Saturday in a 77-65 loss to Southland Conference co-leader Abilene Christian, dropping the Cowgirls to 10-10 on the season and 5-4 in the SLC.
 
Senior Victoria Rachal led McNeese with 17 points on 5 of 12 from the field and 7 of 9 from the charity stripe. Amber Donnes scored 11 points, her third straight game scoring in double figures. Mercedes Rogers, Frederica Haywood and Caitlin Davis all pitched in with 10 points apiece. Haywood completed her eighth career double-double by grabbing 10 boards.
 
The Cowgirls couldn't stop the Wildcat (13-7, 7-1 SLC) scoring runs throughout the game, which started four minutes into the game.
 
With McNeese trailing by two points four minutes into the game, ACU went on a 7-0 run to take a 17-8 lead then took its first double figure lead (21-11) with two minutes left in the first quarter.  The Cowgirls finished the quarter on a run of its own by outscoring ACU 5-2 to cut the lead back to single digits.
 
Both teams scored 11 points each in the second quarter, giving ACU a 36-27 halftime lead. ACU held its largest lead of the game of 18 points with 4:23 left in the quarter but the Cowgirls ended the first half on a 9-0 run.
 
The Cowgirls got as close as nine points four times, two times early in each quarter but couldn't get any closer as the Wildcats used the three-point shot to their advantage in the second half. ACU ended the game with eight three-pointers including three in the first and third quarters while the Cowgirls came away with three for the game.
 
The Wildcats had four players score in double figures and were led by Sydney Shelstead's double double (21 pts., 13 reb.). Breanna Wright added 12, Alexis Mason scored 11 and Lizzy Dimba ended the game with 10 points.
 
McNeese will return home Tuesday to host Central Arkansas at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center.