GRAND FORKS, N.D. – With the score tied at 44-44 entering the fourth quarter, North Dakota went on a decisive 10-0 run to earn itself a 63-56 victory over the Northern Arizona women's basketball team despite a career-high 23 points from junior Taylor Leyva. The Lumberjacks dropped their third consecutive game in falling to 1-5 in conference play and seeing their overall record fall to 5-12.

"I'm proud of our defensive effort; our goal is hold teams to 62 points and we were right there," said head coach Sue Darling. "We obviously need more offensive production. We turned the ball over way too many times and gave up too many offensive boards. The bright side was our defense, and I feel confident that we will find more offensive production."

The offensive production Thursday night came primarily from Leyva, who knocked down her first nine shots from the field, before finishing 9-for-13 with a career-high three treys made on her way to her first 20-point game of her career. She also tied for team-high honors with six rebounds with freshman Kaleigh Paplow, who grabbed four offensive boards among her half-dozen in her first start in over a month.

NAU got off to a hot start with Leyva and freshman Alyssa Rader each scoring seven points in a 16-13 first quarter for the 'Jacks. NAU, who had entered the night with an average margin of defeat of 20 points in four previous trips to the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, shot 6-for-10 in the opening period. The hot shooting cooled off in the second quarter with the Lumberjacks shooting just 3-for-13, as the Fighting Hawks outscored them by nine. At halftime, North Dakota led 31-25 with Leyva accounting for 14 of NAU's 25 first half points.

The Lumberjacks bounced back in the third quarter as Leyva pulled the team back to an even score by the end of it at 44-all. Her third three-pointer tied the game at 36-36 at the midway point of the period, and NAU held a two-point lead following a layup by Paplow until North Dakota tied it up with a score on its final possession.

NAU held the momentum going into the fourth, but UND quickly seized the tide with 10 straight points that proved to be the difference. Junior Rene Coggins finally got the 'Jacks on the board with a three-point play with 4:46 remaining and then followed with a three-pointer to bring NAU within 56-52 at the three-minute mark. Coggins' fourth quarter efforts – she scored 12 of her 14 points in the final period – were not enough to pull the Lumberjacks all the way back as their bid for their first-ever victory in Grand Forks fell short.

"It's important to keep positive because there's still a lot of season left," Leyva said. "Everyone makes the tournament this year, so it's important to peak at the right time. We need to correct our rebounding and taking care of the ball, but I know once we get those things taken care of, it's going to help (with wins)."

The Fighting Hawks shot 38.9 percent in the win while the Lumberjacks shot 35.6 percent from the field. NAU was also outrebounded 44-30, and allowed 19 offensive rebounds to North Dakota which resulted in 17 second chance points for the home team.

Leyva and Coggins were the only two players in double-figure scoring, while junior Catelyn Preston handed out a team-high five assists and Paplow matched her season-high of four steals.

NAU will seek its first conference road victory on Saturday at Northern Colorado – the site of their first Big Sky win away from home last season – at 2 p.m.