GALESBURG, Illinois - The Prairie Fire women's basketball team dropped a close 60-58 game to non-conference opponent Coe College in their home opener on Tuesday night.

Knox took an early 10-7 lead after the first quarter and still led 14-13 with 3:39 to play in the first half, but the Kohawks used a 9-1 run to take a 22-15 lead into halftime.

Coe built up a 15 point lead midway through the third quarter, but the Prairie Fire cut their deficit to just six points with 33 seconds in the period. The Kohawks hit a trey with 12 seconds left to take a 45-36 lead into the final quarter.

Coe led by 13 with 8:34 left in the game, but Knox kept chipping away at the lead to bring the game to within seven points with 1:55 left.

Kristin Herndon made a layup with 1:24 to play and got fouled. She sank the free throw to give Knox just a 60-56 deficit. With 47 seconds left, Herndon hit a pair of free throws to bring the Prairie Fire to within two points.

Knox forced a turnover on the next possession, but were unable to make anything happen on the offensive end and came up just short of the comeback.

Herndon picked up a double-double for the Prairie Fire with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Sarina Dacio led Knox with 17 points and four assists. Catessa Duran added 12 points and eight rebounds.

"This was a rough one for us," said head coach Kira Mowen. "We had a chance at the end, but we gave up too many open looks to Coe in the middle of the game to put ourselves behind."

Knox returns to action on November 23 as they host Central College.