GALESBURG, Illinois - The Prairie Fire women's basketball team fell to North Central College 77-67 at home on Saturday night. 
 
Senior Jarrelyn McCall scored the first seven points for the Prairie Fire and Knox led 15-8 after the first quarter. 
 
First-year Nyah Daniels scored her second 3-pointer to push the Prairie Fire lead to 20-14. Knox's 2-3 defense proved to be a problem for North Central early on. The two teams remained close through most of the first half. First-year point guard Saxon Alvarez knocked down a trey to push the Prairie Fire lead to seven after North Central had cut the lead to four. Daniels then knocked down another 3-pointer to push the lead to 10 at the half. 
 
North Central battled back at the start of the third quarter as they cut the Prairie Fire lead to just three. Saxon Alvarez knocked down her second 3-pointer of the game to put a momentary end to the North Central rally. However, the Cardinals scored 29 total points in the period to take a 50-42 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
North Central extended the lead to as many as 11 points, but the Prairie Fire always had a response. Once the Prairie Fire shifted from their 2-3 zone to a more aggressive defensive look, the Prairie Fire were able to keep chipping away at the North Central lead. 
 
In the end, the Prairie Fire would lose 77-67. It was a tale of two halves for Knox and North Central caught fire during the second half. 
 
McCall led Knox with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Daniels added 14 points and Alvarez joined the fray with 10 of her own. Catessa Duran chipped in eight rebound and four steals, while Kyra Huffman finished with three blocks.
 
"Even though the outcome was not what we wanted, we did a lot of good things tonight," said head coach Emily Cline. "We will fix the things we need to work on and get better. I am pleased with the potential we showed. Jarrelyn was very solid for us tonight with a double-double."
 
The Prairie Fire return to action on November 13 as they host Eureka College.