After a dominant second quarter, St. Ambrose ran into a costly dry spell in the third quarter in a 91-77 loss at Clarke Wednesday night.

Eight different Bees scored in the second period as SAU put up 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting. That coupled with a defensive effort that held the Pride to 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting allowed St. Ambrose to open up a 46-36 halftime lead.

Abby Wolter scored five quick points early in the third, including a 3-pointer that gave the Bees their largest lead of the game at 51-38 just two minutes into the second half.

But then SAU hit a drought.

St. Ambrose (6-7) made just one more field goal in the quarter, that a Mary Gruber 3-pointer, in scoring just six points over the final eight minutes of the third.

The 1-of-12 shooting gave Clarke (6-7) a chance to get back into the game and the Pride capitalized, scoring 23 points in the period to build a 59-57 lead entering the final frame.

Clarke carried that momentum into the fourth. The Pride scored the first 10 points of the final quarter to go in front 69-57 with just over seven minutes left in the game.

Erin Jolin knocked down a three to get the Bees to within 78-70 with 3:17 to play, but Clarke immediatley answered with a triple of its own to push the margin back into double digits. SAU would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.

The Pride couldn't miss in the fourth, shooting 10-of-17 from the floor, including a perfect 3-of-3 mark from beyond the arc. Clarke was also 9-of-11 from the line over the final 10 minutes

Wolter led five Bees in double figures with 20 points. She also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Jayla Stirgus scored 12 points to go along with three assists. Gruber scored 11 points while Jolin and Olivia Harter each netted 10. Gruber, Jolin and Isabella Hutchinson (six points) combined for 27 points off the Bee bench. Hutchinson pulled down eight boards.

Payton Calouette and Caitlyn Thole each finished with four points.

The Bees will return to conference play next Wednesday at Olivet Nazarene.