BELLEVUE, Neb. After a hard-fought win against College of the Ozarks, the Bluejays were back on the road to play the Bellevue University Bruins. With great team chemistry, the Bluejays got to add another win to their record.
The starting five include senior guard Ja'Neysha Hendricks, junior guards Tegan Werth and Kassidy Beam, senior guard/forward Madie McCoy, and senior forward Alyvia Owens.
Head Coach Shawn Reed said, "Overall, our defensive effort was much better in this game. We did a good job of limiting Bellevue's quality looks and we did a solid job guarding ball screens. We still gave up too many offensive rebounds but we held BU to 35% shooting from the floor and I felt like we took a step forward on the defensive end of the court."
In the first minute of quarter one, the Bluejays struck first with a jumper from Alyvia Owens. A few minutes later, Kassidy Beam hit a three. After a couple of baskets made by Bellevue, they tied it up. Two three-point shots by Kassidy Beam and Alicia Baker padded the score more before the quarter was up, 19-14 Tabor.
Quarter two consisted of a three-point shower from multiple ladies. Alicia Baker hit another three to continue the fire. At the 7:15 and 2:37 mark, two more threes by Miyah McGee and Lillie Veer. A couple more Bluejays that got in on the action were Kassidy Beam and Tegan Werth. At half the score was 38-25 Bluejays.
"Offensively we did an excellent job of valuing the ball. To only commit eight turnovers against Bellevue's length and athleticism was a huge positive! I was very proud of our point guards (Ja'Neysha and Miyah) for their solid performances against Bellevue's pressure. I thought the looks we got in the first half were good but late in the game, we got stagnant. We shot it well from behind the three-point line which helps but I would like to see us get more interior touches and continually move the ball", said Coach Reed.
After the half, the ladies never let up. They came out with fire and energy playing great defense. In the third quarter, the Bluejays moved the ball well and got up great shots. They held the Bellevue Bruins to only 10 points. End third quarter, 52-37.
The fourth quarter took the Bluejays four minutes before scoring. But a three and a couple of layups later they ended the night with another win, 60-47.
Coach Reed stated, "Our bench was also a huge factor in the game. Our players off the bench outscored Bellevue 33-10 and I think we were also able to wear them down a little with our depth. Kassidy Bean was our lone scorer in double digits. She did a fantastic job of finding and finishing her shots. Teegan Werth and Kloe Bowin both had very efficient games on the offensive end. Alicia Baker and Miyah McGee gave us some great minutes off the bench as well. Alyvia Owens did a fantastic job on the glass with eight rebounds and she also did a tremendous job of finding shooters against Bellevue's zone!"
The record for the ladies is now 2-0. The Bluejays' next game will be Saturday, Nov. 4 in Des Moines, Iowa against Grand View University at 2 p.m.
"Overall it was another tough win over a well-coached athletic team on the road. Bellevue has a strong program and we have a ton of respect for Coach Denly and his players. Our task won't get any easier when we travel to Iowa to face RV Grand View University on Saturday. Grand View was a national tournament qualifier a year ago and has almost everyone back from that squad plus they added additional talent. We will have to play extremely well to win our third road game in eight days", said Coach Reed on the Bluejay's next game.
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).
