THE Bendigo Spirit has fallen to 0-3 in the WNBL after suffering a 10-point defeat to the Perth Lynx on Friday night.
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In the first of two games this weekend for the Spirit, Bendigo was beaten 86-76 by the Lynx in Perth.
While the loss leaves the Spirit still without a win this season, Perth improved to 3-0.
Alicia Froling delivered a double-double for the Spirit with 18 points and 11 rebounds, but turned the ball over six times.
Abbey Wehrung (15), Mehryn Kraker (13) and Alex Wilson (10) also scored in double figures for the Spirit.
Perth led by four points at half-time, 46-42, but was able to extend its advantage to 11 at three quarter-time after outscoring the Spirit 21-14 during the third term.
The Spirit scored the first five points of the final term through Samuels (3) and Alex Wilson (2) to close with six with 8:16 remaining.
However, the Lynx responded with an 8-0 run to push their lead out to a game-high 14 points.
The Perth side included Anneli Maley, who had spent the previous two seasons with the Spirit - the first in which she won the WNBL MVP.
Maley was a rebounding machine during her two seasons with the Spirit and dominated the boards on Friday night, hauling down 14 to go with 10 points.
The Spirit was unable to contain the influence of Perth import Aari McDonald, who scorched Bendigo for 34 points on 13-of-19 shooting from the field.
McDonald scored 19 of her 34 points in the opening half.
Bendigo completes its weekend double-header on Sunday against the Melbourne Boomers at the Melbourne Sports Centre from 3pm.
WNBL RESULTS THIS SEASON:
ROUND 1
Melbourne 68 def Adelaide 60
Perth 85 def Sydney 71
Townsville 93 def Bendigo 80
Melbourne 77 def Southside 70
Adelaide 82 def Canberra 79
ROUND 2
Southside 104 def Canberra 79
Sydney 68 def Bendigo 62
Southside 75 def Townsville 74
Perth 92 def Adelaide 85
Melbourne 95 def Sydney 80
ROUND 3
Sydney 86 def Canberra 81
Perth 86 def Bendigo 76
