BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - After a difficult game with an intense fourth quarter, Oglethorpe could not catch up to the Panthers of Birmingham Southern and the game ended at 86-82.
 
The Petrels were led by juniors Daesha McAdams totaling 17 points and Amy Vazquez with 13, as well as freshmen Adrianna Atkinson and Jessamy Gaetanos totaling 12 and 10, respectively.
 
Oglethorpe struggled in the first quarter, with Birmingham Southern starting out strong and taking off. The second quarter started with the Petrels 14 points behind the Panthers at 35-21. This quarter was also a struggle for the Stormy Petrels, but they were able to get closer to Birmingham Southern as the score was 49-42 heading into halftime.
 
The third quarter saw Oglethorpe take a 7-2 run early on as the Petrels battled to catch up to the Panthers. Although Oglethorpe came close to tying the score several times, Birmingham was two steps ahead of them until the final quarter.
 
The fourth quarter was tense as McAdams tied the score at 63-63 just over 30 seconds in. Almost immediately after, Birmingham Southern scored, then Oglethorpe's Sydney Bumgardaner tied the score again at 65-65.
 
After that intense first minute, Bumgardner put Oglethorpe in the lead for the first time in the game. That is, until the Panthers quickly tied it again at 67-67 with 8:04 on the clock. As the minutes dwindled down, Birmingham Southern kept a small lead until an 11-1 run pushed them ahead to 79-70. The Petrels struggled to catch back up, and despite scoring more often in the final two minutes of the game, Birmingham Southern was already too far ahead.
 
Up next for the women's team is a home game against Agnes Scott College on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. in Dorough Field House. Oglethorpe is set to play Birmingham Southern again on January 30 in another home game.