ST. CATHARINE, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2015) â€" Allison Jones and Sarah Robinson combined for 16 of the Buffaloes' first 18 points and both played big parts in the fourth quarter, but it was the middle quarters that doomed the Milligan College women's basketball team, who fell for the first time this season in a 73-69 decision to St. Catharine College Monday evening at Lourdes Hall.

Similarly to the last time the teams met back on Nov. 2 in the Buffs' home opener, Milligan (9-1) trailed by double digits in the third quarter and found itself behind heading into the final 10 minutes, but this time could not complete its comeback effort to keep its perfect season intact. St. Catharine, meanwhile, raised its record to 3-8 on the year and snapped a four-game losing streak.

Robinson led all scorers with a new career high of 22 points with a game-high 10 rebounds for the fifth double-double of her freshman season. Jones was right behind Robinson with a season-high 20 points, while Robinson scored 10 of her points in the first quarter to give Milligan an early lead and Jones scored 10 in the last quarter to try and help the Buffs claw back. Both shot over 50 percent from the field as Robinson was 11-17 and Jones was 8-16.

Jones, a senior, began the fourth quarter with four points in the first minute and scored another just over a minute later to give the Buffs some life and make it a five-point game at 56-51.

Next, after a three by St. Catharine's Patrice Tonge at the 7:40 mark, only nine seconds after Jones' latest field goal, Kelly Barnett answered with a 3-pointer and Robinson scored her first bucket of the final quarter to get Milligan back within three at 59-56 with 6:40 on the clock.

A minute and 20 seconds later, Jones scored her eighth point of the quarter to get the Buffs within one at 59-58. The Patriots then scored four more points before Courtney Wilson got the Buffs back within three yet again at 63-60 with her first field goal with only three minutes remaining. That was, however, the closet Milligan would get for the remainder of the game.

Jones, Robinson and Callie Cox all scored in the final minute for Milligan to get within five twice and within four at the very end, but it was all for not.

In the opening quarter, Jones (3-6) and Robinson (4-5) each had eight points to get the Buffs off and running. Also in the first, each of the Buffs first six field goals came from within the paint as Milligan held leads of 14-6, 16-11 and 20-13 while shooting over 56 percent from the field to that point.

With 1:57 to go in the first quarter, Milligan took its largest lead of the game as Lindsee Price connected on a 3-pointer on the assist from Caitlin Cane to make it a nine-point margin at 22-13. Overall in the quarter, the Buffs shot 53 percent (9-17) from the field.

With the Buffs leading by eight (32-24) with four minutes to go in the first half, the Patriots scored 10 straight points on baskets from three players to go ahead 34-32. After outscoring Milligan 19-10 in the second quarter, St. Catharine picked up right where it left off in the second half, outscoring the Buffs 10-2 halfway through the third quarter, with the Buffs' only basket coming from Robinson, and stretching its lead to 44-34.

Scores by Morgan Gose, Robinson and Andi Lamb helped Milligan get within six at 49-43 with two minutes left in the third quarter before the Patriots ended the frame with an important run for the second quarter in the row, this one a 7-2 stretch to make it 56-45 heading into the final 10 minutes.

The 73 points allowed on Monday were the most the Buffs have given up so far this season, while the 69 points scored is Milligan's second lowest total through the first 10 games.

Robinson's double-double was her second straight against St. Catharine, who was led by Cora Moore with 20 points, Tonge with 17 and Miranda Wilson with 12, who each reached double-digit scoring against Milligan for the second time this season.

Next up, the Buffs return to Appalachian Athletic Conference action where they are tied for a league best 3-0 and are one of only four undefeated teams in conference action. Milligan will be in Waleska, Georgia, on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Reinhardt University at 7:30 p.m. Milligan then returns to the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 4 p.m. against Montreat College for its final home game of the fall stretch.