Box Score LIBERAL, Kan. -- When Dodge City's Rachel Slattery scored with 8:40 remaining in the third to cut the No. 21 Seward County lead down to 41-34 - the closest it had been since early in the first - it looked as if the Conquistadors were going to recover from a rough start to the contest.

However, the Lady Saints went on a 19-2 run over the next six-plus minutes and pulled away as DC3 lost to Seward 81-61 Saturday at The Greenhouse.

The Conqs (16-6 overall, 6-5 KJCCC) struggled early with Seward's (16-6, 8-4) press as they fell behind 15-2 in the opening five minutes of the contest and eventually trailed 21-7 after the first quarter - a period that saw DC3 commit seven turnovers.

DC3 settled down, outscored Seward 20-18 in the second and had the lead down to seven before the Lady Saints went on their run to put the game away.

"Again we faced one of the big dogs in the league and we didn't answer the bell," DC3 coach Mark James said. "It's disappointing. I felt like we were prepared, but it just wasn't in the cards. ... I still don't feel like we've played our 'A' game yet. If we do, I feel like we can be up here with teams like this."

Talisha Presley paced DC3 with 18 points and four steals. She was also 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. Rachel Slattery had 11 points, eight rebounds and a block while Fantasia Johnson came off the bench and had eight points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

The Conqs struggled with 6-foot-7 freshman Joanna Grymek as she finished with 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting, eight blocks and five rebounds. Axelle Bernard added 12 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and three assists while Clitan Sousa and Tiani White each had 10 points.

It's DC3's 19th-straight loss to Seward, dating back to 2006.

DC3 has a quick turnaround as it hosts Cloud County 6 p.m. Monday at the Dodge City Civic Center.