Atrocious shooting early in the game doomed the Queen’s Golden Gaels to a 79-71 defeat at the hands of the Ryerson Rams in an Ontario University Athletics women’s basketball game Saturday night at the Athletics and Recreation Centre.

The Gaels sank only two of 21 attempts from the field in the first quarter, as Ryerson, the No. 8-ranked team in Canada, took a 23-5 lead.

That lead grew to 25 points—42-17—at halftime and the Gaels never got within hailing distance after that.

The defeat snapped a six-game winning streak for Queen’s, which remains second in the East division at 8-4. Ryerson improved to 11-3.

Abby Dixon had 17 points and six rebounds to lead the Gaels, who got 12 points from Jenny Wright and 11 points and eight rebounds from Andrea Priamo. Keneca Pingue-Giles, with 21 points, and Mariah Nunes, with 19, led the Rams.

The Gaels return to the court Friday, when they will visit the Windsor Lancers.