KANSAS CITY, Mo. –  Following a challenging loss to Bethel on Wednesday night, the Lady Bluejays traveled to Kansas City for their final regular-season conference matchup against Avila on Saturday afternoon.

After a few weeks of struggling to establish early dominance, the Bluejays had no trouble against the Eagles, seizing control in the first quarter with a seven-point lead early on. Seven Lady Bluejays contributed on offense in the first quarter while Avila struggled to keep pace. 

Heading into the second, Tabor held a 16-11 lead and aimed to widen the margin. Kloe Bowin added key points in the paint, while Madie McCoy drained her second three-pointer of the game. Alyvia Owens contributed seven points in the first half and played a vital role in limiting the Eagles to a 33.3% shooting percentage in the second quarter. By halftime, Tabor had extended their lead to eight, holding a 31-23 advantage over Avila.

Avila responded in the third quarter, outscoring Tabor as three Lady Eagles combined for 16 points compared to the Bluejays' 13. Tabor capitalized at the free-throw line, making seven of 10 attempts. Despite the push from Avila, the Lady Bluejays maintained a five-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation.

In the fourth quarter, Hailey Contreras and Kassidy Beam helped extend Tabor's lead, while Miyah McGee added three more points from the free-throw line. The Eagles struggled offensively, shooting just 2-12 (16.7%) from the field and finding no success from beyond the arc. However, Avila kept the game competitive by converting six of eight free throws. In the end, Tabor secured a victory in their final regular-season matchup, defeating Avila 57-49.

Tabor finished the game shooting 40.0% from the field and sinking 17 free throws. Bowin and Veer were flawless from the free-throw line, while Owens and McGee also delivered impressive performances. Bowin led the Bluejays in scoring with 12 points, followed closely by Owens with 11. Veer made a significant defensive impact, grabbing six of her seven rebounds on Avila's end of the court. Adrian Hazelwood contributed with two blocks, and the Lady Bluejays recorded five steals against the Eagles.

"Overall, it was a crucial road victory for our team that helped us secure the #2 seed in the KCAC Tournament," exclaimed Head Coach Shawn Reed. "In the second half, we struggled offensively but our ability to consistently defend in the final three quarters and capitalize on opportunities at the free-throw line were enough to push us to a win."
 
"We also took care of the ball and lots of players got good looks at the rim. Our defense in the final ten minutes was outstanding. We did a much better job of communicating and executing our principles on the defensive end tonight. I was proud of our group and the discipline we showed!"
 
"I thought Kloe and Alyvia did some positive things on the interior today. I was also proud of Ivy and Hailey for their efforts off our bench! We didn't hit a ton of threes today, but you are going to have games like that. We know we have good shooters on our team but some nights you go cold and that is why defense is so important."
 
"Next week we move into the postseason which is a whole different experience. We host an excellent Bethany squad who is experienced and talented. It will be a challenge but that is the reality of playoff basketball! We hope people will come out and support us!"
 
Tabor will host Bethany College on Thursday evening in their home arena during the KCAC Quarterfinals. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in the Tabor College Gymnasium. Tabor will enter the contest as the No. 2 seed with an overall record of 18-9 and a KCAC record of 16-6, while the Swedes will enter as the No. 7 seed with a 15-13 overall record and a 13-9 record in conference play. 
 
Be sure to stay up to date with all information regarding Bluejay Athletics by following us on X at @gotaborbluejays, on Instagram and Facebook @taborbluejays, and on our official athletic website, taborbluejays.com.

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).