SLIPPERY ROCK — Progression for a young and inexperienced team rarely comes in a straight line.

Slippery Rock’s girls basketball team had shown marked improvement during a three-game losing streak to begin the season.

On paper, the team seemed primed for its first victory of the year in a home game Monday against a Reynolds squad with an abbreviated roster.

The Raiders were averaging just 17.5 points per game coming in, but hampered by injury/illness to three of its top players, including point guard CJ Sabo, the Rockets never got into an offensive rhythm in a 38-28 loss at the Launch Pad.

“Reynolds picked up the intensity tonight and we didn’t execute our offense to its full potential,” said Slippery Rock coach Steph Croll.

The Rockets (0-4) trailed 22-13 at halftime, but Leah Double’s trey late in the third quarter helped Slippery Rock trail just 26-23 with one quarter to play.

But the team hit a lull, not scoring again until Libby Campbell’s basket with 2:25 left.

Meanwhile, the Raiders (1-4), though not pulling away, slowly built their lead. Eight of their 12 points in the quarter came at the free throw line.

Four of Reynolds’ eight players are freshmen. One of them, Ava Murcko, led all scorers with 16 points. It was her basket that put the Raiders up for good, 13-11, with 2:40 remaining in the first half.

“We scrimmaged Slippery Rock just before the season started,” said Raiders coach Doug Dorio. “We knew they had height and we worked on getting our passes over it. We felt we could use our speed and quickness to our advantage.”

Reynolds did that on both ends of the floor, forcing 23 turnovers by the Rockets.

“We’re a young team,” added Dorio. “I told the girls that it’s a process and they’re not going to learn everything in four or five games. Getting the win tonight was as much of a relief for me as it was for the players.”

Coffaro, one of only two seniors on Slippery Rock’s roster, scored 12 points to lead the Rockets.

“Our starting five has changed because of the girls we have who are out,” Croll said. “The players are working hard in practice. We’re just trying to pick up the intensity.”

The Rockets play at Meadville on Wednesday.

REYNOLDS 38

Ava Murcko 5 5-9 16, Julie Wade 4 0-0 9, Marissa Hillyer 1 2-4 4, Lea Miller 2 3-4 7, Savannah Johnson 1 0-0 2, Ava McCloskey 0 0-1 0, Audrey McCurdy 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 10-18 38.

SLIPPERY ROCK 28

Julia Coffaro 5 1-4 12, Maddy Horner 1 0-0 2, Belle Miller 1 1-2 3, Graci Kniess 1 0-0 2, Leah Double 2 0-2 5, Libby Campbell 2 0-2 4, Danielle Zuschlag 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 2-10 28.

Reynolds 4 18 4 12 — 38

Slippery Rock 2 11 10 5 — 28

3-point goals: Reynolds 2 (Murcko, Wade); Slippery Rock 2 (Coffaro, Double)

Wednesday: Slippery Rock at Meadville