by (Peru, Neb.)—The Peru State women’s basketball team dropped its conference opener to MidAmerica Nazarene 82-69, Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats fall to 4-3 overall and are 0-1 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, while the Pioneers improve to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
Peru State started out up five early 7-2, after a three-point bucket by Maddy Duncan (Hamburg, Iowa) and a few baskets by Sam Stewart (Mount Ayr, Iowa). MidAmerica then hit its stride as it went on a 18-2 run to take a 20-9 lead with around two minutes to go in the first quarter.
The Pioneers took a ten-point lead heading into the second quarter up to 23-13, the Bobcats started the second quarter on a 12-1 run to take a one-point lead 25-24 with around four minutes to go in the half. Contributing to the run were buckets by Jescenia Mosley (Shenandoah, Iowa), Kaylan Larry (Little Rock, Ark.), Stewart, Hailey Ingram (Omaha), Danielle Howard (Uniontown, Kan.) and Julie Miller (Easton, Kan.).
The Bobcats would extend their lead out to four towards the end of the half after a layup by Larry. The Pioneers got the lead down to one 31-30, but a free throw after the buzzer had the Bobcats up two heading into the break.
MidAmerica and Peru State were in a back-and-forth affair to start the third quarter as the Pioneers took the lead 39-38 with around eight minutes to go in the quarter. The Pioneers went on a quick 6-0 run as they lead 44-38. Ingram then drained a shot from deep as the Bobcats got the score back within in a possession trailing 44-41.
MidAmerica hit a three right back as the lead was extended right back out to six. Free throws by Mosley would get the score to within four but the Bobcats could not climb their way back into a tie or the lead in the third quarter.
The Pioneers would get out to an eight-point lead late in the third leading 51-43. Peru State was able to cut the lead down to five after a layup from Natasha Deal (Winnebago) and free throws by Ingram as the score was now 52-47.
Peru State cut the MidAmerica lead down to two to open the fourth quarter after a huge three-point basket from Duncan. The Bobcats would cut the lead down to two, twice more from free throws by Deal and a layup by Deal, but the lead eluded them as they trailed 56-54.
The Pioneers then went on an 11-2 run capped off by a layup with around three minutes to go in the game to go up 12 68-56. The Bobcats got the lead back within single digits after four straight made free throws as they trailed 70-62.
Five quick points from the Pioneers had their lead back out to 11 as they led 73-62 with around two and half minutes to go. A quick 5-0 run by the Bobcats had the lead cut down to six after a three-pointer from Ingram and free throws by Mosley.
The Bobcats trailed 73-67, unfortunately the Pioneers closed out the game on a 9-2 run to come away with the 82-69 victory.
Peru State shot 22-of-69 from the field shooting 31.9%, 4-of-15 from beyond the arc shooting 26.7% and they were 21-of-26 from the charity stripe shooting 80.8%.
MidAmerica Nazarene was 26-of-66 shooting 39.4%, 8-of-22 shooting 36.4% from beyond the arc and 22-of-33 from the line shooting 66.7%.
Ingram and Larry tied for the lead in points with 13 each as Stewart and Mosley finished with 10 apiece. Mosley also had 10 rebounds for a double-double which led the way on the boards. Howard led the way in assists with three.
