POINT LOOK, Mo. The Tabor College Women's basketball team kicked off the start of their season against the College of the Ozarks.
The starting five consisted of senior guard Ja'Neysha Hendricks, junior guards Kassidy Beam and Teegan Werth, senior guard/forward Madie McCoy, and senior forward Alyvia Owens.
Head Coach Shawn Reed had this to say about the game, "It was a fantastic hard fought win against a talented and well-coached team on the road. We had a 15-point lead late in the third quarter but we had some costly turnovers which led to some easy scoring opportunities for C of O and let them back in the game. However, we overcame quite a bit of adversity late in regulation and in overtime to come away with a victory over a nationally ranked opponent so that was very positive."
To start off quarter one, Madie McCoy hit a 3-pointer at 8:33 to get the momentum going for the Bluejays. After a missed jumper by the College of the Ozarks, Kassidy Beam came up for a layup. At the 5:46 mark, Kloe Bowin shot a free throw to give the Bluejays a further lead. But the Bobcats kept clawing back, hitting a jumper and two free throws. At the end of the quarter, the Bobcats got ahead and were leading by one, 13-14.
Coach Reed stated, "I was very pleased with how we shot the ball. We shot great from behind the three-point line and I felt our looks at the basket were good for the most part. I liked that we were attacking the rim more but we still missed some shots around the hoop which we will need to finish moving forward. Turnovers were the biggest issue on the night but I am hopeful we can continue to work on that area. In the first half, we also struggled with rebounding but I felt that improved in the second half of the game!"
Lillie Veer started quarter two with a layup and Ozarks immediately answered back. At 8:34 Kassidy Beam drained a three to get ahead. Going back and forth, the ladies held up great defense and continued shooting the ball, ending quarter two 34-31.
"Defensively, we had periods of time when we were very solid but we had other times when we didn't look confident in our rotations or principles. It's early and College of the Ozarks is a very strong offensive team but solid defense has been a hallmark of our program and we will continue to work in that area. Overall, we did some positive things but our consistency needs to be better," said Coach Reed.
After the half, the Bluejays came out with intensity and crushed the third quarter. All-around good shooting from the ladies included Ja'Neysha Hendricks, Madie McCoy, Alicia Baker, Kloe Bowin, and Lillie Veer. Holding the Bobcats to just twelve points, the Bluejays were leading 55-45.
The fourth quarter for the Bluejays was slow and the Bobcats were not going to go down without a fight. They took advantage of the free throws and tied up the game to send it into overtime, 69-69.
Coach Reed said, "Lillie Veer had an amazing game for us off the bench. I don't think I have ever had a freshmen play that well in their first collegiate game! Lillie hit some huge shots for us and she was aggressive without getting sped up which is a big challenge for a freshmen. We believe Lillie has a bright future in our program and we were thrilled to see her get off to this kind of start!"
College of the Ozarks scored first in overtime and the Bluejays quickly answered with a jumper from Ja'Neysha Hendricks. The ladies led the rest of OT and with 20 seconds to go the Bobcats hit a three to tie it back up. After a quick timeout, Kassidy Beam hits a three to give the Bluejays the win, 81-78.
Reed also included, "Ja'Neysha, Kassidy, and Madie also had very strong offensive nights! J scored well around the rim and Kass and Madie both shot the ball well. Madie had a huge steal late and she found Kass in transition for a three-point basket which ended up being the difference in us securing the win. Alyvia, Kloe, and Brooke all provided solid minutes in the interior and I thought Miyah McGee played a strong game defensively."
"Overall, it was a great way to start the season but it doesn't get any easier as we travel to Bellevue University on Tuesday. Bellevue is always competing at the top of the NorthStar Conference and they are very well coached. We have a ton of respect for Coach Denly and his program and we know it will be a tough environment and contest on Tuesday," Coach Reed said.
This win puts their overall record to 1-0. The Bluejays go to Bellevue, Nebraska to play Bellevue University on Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 5:30 p.m.
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
