NORTH NEWTON, Kan. –  Despite the snow and wintry conditions that took place this week, the Lady Bluejays were able to make the trip to North Newton on Wednesday evening to take on the Threshers for the second time this season. 

Kloe Bowin opened the scoring for the Bluejays, making an impact in the paint during the first quarter. The game quickly turned into a back-and-forth battle, with both teams displaying strong defensive intensity. Hailey Contreras and Madie McCoy knocked down three-pointers to aid Tabor's offensive efforts, though turnovers remained a challenge. The Bluejays ended the first quarter down by one, with plenty of time left to play.

Scoring remained stagnant until two minutes into the second quarter when Contreras added more crucial points for the Bluejays. However, the Threshers quickly took control, extending their lead to seven and forcing Tabor's defense to stay aggressive. By halftime, the Bluejays trailed Bethel 24-29 and aimed to adjust for a second-half comeback.

Despite key contributions from Alyvia Owens and Lillie Veer, Bethel maintained its shooting advantage over Tabor throughout the third quarter. The Bluejays entered the fourth quarter trailing by 11 points, eager for more offensive opportunities.

The Lady Bluejays narrowed Bethel's lead to just two points in the fourth quarter with seven minutes of regulation remaining. Miyah McGee and Adrian Hazelwood played key roles in Tabor's late push, bringing the deficit down to one point with a minute left. However, a costly Bluejay turnover ultimately sealed their fate, resulting in a 57-60 loss to the Threshers.

Both teams shot 25.0% from beyond the arc, relying primarily on points in the paint. Tabor excelled at the free-throw line, making 15 of 18 attempts for an impressive 83.3% accuracy. Meanwhile, the Threshers shot 45.3% from the field, compared to the Bluejays' 40.0%.

Bowin led the team with 12 points, shooting 4-5 from the free-throw line while adding two blocks and two defensive rebounds. Veer followed closely with 11 points, two steals, and three rebounds, shooting a perfect 100% from the free-throw line and playing a crucial role in Tabor's comeback effort. Owens and Contreras contributed nine points each, while McGee added seven. The Bluejays also recorded 20 bench points and scored 10 points off turnovers.
 
"Tough loss on the road tonight," remarked Head Coach Shawn Reed. "We did not play well in the first three quarters, and you simply can't do that against Bethel and expect to win."
 
"Our execution of our defensive principles was inconsistent throughout the game and that led to a lot of easy baskets for Bethel. I was proud of the effort we gave in the fourth quarter but honestly, we need to see that urgency and attention to detail from tip-off."
 
"We showed improvement over the last time we played Bethel, but I thought Bethel played with more intensity and discipline. We also need to do a better job of seeing our advantage as a team and exploiting it. There were times in this game when we had a clear advantage inside, and we our posts didn't get touches in the paint."
 
"It's frustrating but as long as we have games remaining, we will work hard to try and take steps forward. We have an extremely important game at Avila on Saturday. Avila has a good team, and it is a tough place to win so we will have to be disciplined and play with a lot of energy."
 
Tabor will play in their last regular season game on Saturday at Avila University. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. as the Lady Bluejays face the Eagles at Mabee Fieldhouse in Kansas City. Avila enters the contest with an overall record of 8-19 and a conference record of 8-13. Tabor falls to a 17-9 overall record and a 15-6 record in KCAC play. 

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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).