YORK, Neb. – The York University women's basketball team dropped a hard fought 76-69 contest to Avila Wednesday evening. 

The Panthers are now 8-20 on the season, including 3-18 in KCAC action.

Head coach Corinna Minjarez's team was paced by Alesia Rand's 17 points and six rebounds. Monique Contreras totaled 15 points and four rebounds. Zoe Brown accounted for 12 points and four boards while Destiny Shepherd added 11 points and four assists. Olivia Adams had six points and four rebounds while Lawson Hiltl totaled six points and two thefts. Alliyana Page had two points. 

Baskets by Adams and Page brought York within two at he 6:07 mark, 9-7. A basket from Contreras pulled the team within three, 13-10, but Avila hit a shot with 1:29 to go in the opening frame for a 15-10 lead.

Trailing 28-12, Contreras nailed a three-ball and a lay-up, bringing the team within 11, 28-17, with 5:47 to play in the half. A charity toss from Brown trimmed the deficit to nine, 33-24, at the 2:23 mark. However, Avila maintained a 39-25 edge at halftime.

York trailed 51-32 before Shepherd nailed a lay-up. Amaya Payne found Brown for a shot from distance, making it 51-37 at the 3:56 mark of the third period. Rand netted four straight points late in the quarter, bringing the Panthers within 14, 59-45. Rand's bucket with three seconds remaining once again made it a 14-point game, 61-47, entering the final stanza.

The Panthers rattled off 11 straight points to start the final period. Rand hit a jumper before converting a three-point play. Shepherd hit Rand for another field goal at the 8:31 mark. Rand drilled a jumper before Contreras found Brown for a field goal, slicing the margin to three, 61-58. Down 62-58, Contreras hit a jumper. Brown took a pass from Rand and nailed a shot from deep at the 5:34 mark for a 63-62 advantage.

Trailing 69-65, Shepherd and Rand posted field goals, knotting the score at 69-69 with 59 ticks on the clock. However, Avila scored the final seven points of the contest. 

For the game, York drilled 28-of-57 from the floor, including seven-of-22 from downtown. The team hit six-of-10 from the charity stripe. The Panthers pulled down 28 boards. York dished out 13 assists and notched 10 steals. Minjarez's squad forced 19 turnovers and scored 23 points off the miscues. The team also scored 36 points in the lane. 

The Panthers return to action Saturday when they play at Bethel College at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at Yorkpanthers.com.