NAMPA, Idaho – The Northwest Nazarene women's basketball team knew there would be games like this one.

Struggling to score against a sound, veteran team the Nighthawks lost 72-64 to Westminster on Saturday during the Fairfield Inn Crossover Challenge.

Despite knowing that this season will feature the ups and downs that youth brings, it doesn't make the losses any easier to swallow.

"I think I can speak for everyone, we are very competitive and this really stings," NNU senior Avery Albrecht said. "But it's motivation to get the next one."

The loss was the first at home for the Nighthawks since Jan. 9, 2018. They had won 21 in a row at Johnson Sports Center before Saturday.

Westminster, which made the NCAA Division II national tournament last year, is a veteran team filled with upperclassmen who made life difficult for the young Nighthawks (2-2 overall).

"Shots that usually are falling for us weren't falling," Albrecht said. "That being said, that is a really talented defensive team and they do all the little things right and that made it more difficult on offense."

NNU shot 37.3 percent from the field (25-of-67) and just 21.7 percent from beyond the 3-point line (5-of-23).

Despite it all, the Nighthawks were still in the game late.

"Honestly, I think it was just an off night for everybody," NNU sophomore Erin Jenkins said. "We worked super hard on defense, but we missed some rotations and suffered the consequences."

Westminster, which defeated Central Washington 70-60 on Friday night, outscored NNU 41-32 in the second half to erase a one-point deficit.

After NNU pulled within 40-39 with 5:47 left in the third quarter, the Eagles went on a 10-2 run to open the game up.

"We played a really talented team. A veteran team and they made fewer mistakes than we did and we didn't shoot the ball well," NNU coach Steve Steele said. "Hats off to the opponents. They hit a high percentage of shots in the second half and they didn't give us any easy ones. That is what really good veteran teams do."

Marina Valles' 15 points, six rebounds and five assists led the Nighthawks. Zoe Wessels added nine points, Albrecht had eight points and six rebounds, McKenna Emerson had eight points and five steals and Jenkins had eight points.

"This is just going to help us gain confidence in ourselves and turning our troubles or problems or whatever you want to call it into motivation to get better and work harder to win," Jenkins said.

NNU heads to St. George, Utah, next weekend for a crossover tournament at Dixie State. The Nighthawks play Dixie State at 5 p.m. Friday and against Colorado Mesa at 1 p.m. Saturday.