MILWAUKEE, Wis. — MATC women's basketball delivered a sharp start Tuesday night, surging to a 12–2 lead in the opening minutes, but the early burst didn't hold as the Stormers fell 61–52 at Bryant & Stratton, dropping them to 8–9 overall and 5–6 on the road.

"There's no question it was one of our best starts of the season," MATC head coach Arom Murrell said. "Give credit to Bryant & Stratton for staying resilient and chipping away and ultimately overcoming our initial wave."

Bryant & Stratton steadily erased the deficit as MATC's rhythm cooled, using a stretch of missed shots and turnovers to close the first quarter on a 15–2 run. The Stormers went nearly five minutes without a field goal during the swing, allowing the Bobcats to turn an early double‑digit hole into a 17–14 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Bobcats continued to dictate the tempo in the ensuing quarter, capitalizing on MATC's cold shooting and one‑and‑done possessions to build their advantage up by halftime. Consistent interior scoring and second‑chance opportunities helped Bryant & Stratton push the margin to 33–27 at the break.

MATC searched for answers coming out of halftime but struggled to generate sustained offense, managing just 11 points in the third quarter while the Bobcats stretched the lead to 52–38. The Stormers made a brief push in the fourth, outscoring Bryant & Stratton 14–9, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome as the game settled at 61–52.

Bryant & Stratton's edge on the glass and at the free‑throw line proved decisive. The Bobcats outrebounded MATC 47–30 and converted 16 of 27 free throws, while the Stormers finished 5 of 12 at the stripe. MATC forced 24 turnovers and turned them into 17 points, but Bryant & Stratton countered with 17 second‑chance points and a 30–18 advantage in the paint to help withstand any comeback attempt.

Freshman guard Emani Summers paced MATC with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals while hitting two threes in 38 minutes. Freshman reserve Laila Hamiel added 10 points and four rebounds off the bench, and freshman guard Sa'Nyai Mitchell contributed eight points, four steals, three assists and three boards. Sophomore forward Rachel Schlies finished with seven points, three assists and two steals. Sophomore forward Lacee Rodriguez delivered a strong effort on the glass with nine rebounds in 21 minutes, and Zirhe Sellers added four points, two rebounds and two blocks.

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MATC (8–9) hits the road Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. matchup at Kankakee.