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WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's basketball  team had their third straight win within their grasp Monday evening, but each time the Cardinals would reach out to take it, Gustavus would pull it away.

After trailing by as many as seven points early in the second half,  the Cardinals cut the Gusties' lead to one twice in the game's final six minutes, only to have GAC pull away again, as Gustavus used an 18-11 run over the final 5:58 to hand SMU its first loss of 2008, 75-67 at the SMU Gym.

Kelly Tanke (La Crosse, Wis.) led  a trio of Cardinal players in double figures, tossing in 13 points, while Jess Miller (Carver, Minn.) added 11 and Jess Weisbrod (Rollingstone, Minn.) — the reigning MIAC Co-Player of the Week — chipped in 10. Jess Vadnais pumped in a game-high 31 points — including a 13-for-14 performance from the free-throw line, to pace the Gusties.

SMU led by as many as seven points, 19-12, in the game's opening 20 minutes, but a late GAC charge pulled the Gusties even at 24-24 with 3:08 remaining. Gustavus would take its first lead, 25-24, on a free throw by Molly Mathiowetz and never look back.

The Gusties put the game away with their free-throw shooting, as GAC knocked down 27  of 41 from the charity stripe, while SMU was just 17 -for-29.

The Cardinals, who fall to 1-5 in the MIAC and 2-7 overall, return to action Wednesday, traveling to St. Catherine for a 7:30 p.m. contest.