ST. LOUIS- Taylor Klingelhoefer scored 13 points, but the Missouri Baptist women's basketball team fell to Missouri Valley College, 76-46, last night in Marshall, Mo. The loss drops the Spartans to 0-3 on the early season and improved the Vikings record to 3-2.
Klingelhoefer led MBU with 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range. Kristyne Smyth was the other Spartan to score in double figures, adding 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and 1-of-3 from deep range. Jasmine Jackson added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.
The Spartans shot just 24 percent from the field, making just 13-of-53 shots. Missouri Valley was much more proficient, making 29-of-66 (43 %) shots from the field.
Missouri Baptist scored seven straight points and jumped out to a 7-2 lead just 1:45 into the contest, its largest lead of the game. The two teams battled back-and-forth for the next five minutes, and the score was tied 11-11 with 12:05 left in the first half.
After a Jasmine Harris three-pointer gave the Vikings a 14-11 lead with 10:37 left in the first half, MVC went on a 12-0 run that spanned 5:40.
Kristyne Smyth snapped the scoreless streak with a free throw with 7:02 left in the half that cut the deficit to 22-12. MBU would rattle off eight straight points and cut the Viking lead to 22-19 with 4:44 left in the half.
Missouri Valley would be held scoreless for nearly five minutes before a Gabi Morales free throw gave the Vikings a 23-19 lead. Again, the two teams would score back-and-forth buckets before the clock reached all zeroes and the Spartans would trail 30-25 at the half.
Jasmine Jackson led MBU with eight points, seven rebounds and two assists in the half. The different maker in the half would be the 13 MBU turnovers, compared to just six by the Vikings.
Through the first ten minutes of the second half, Missouri Valley would go on a 23-9 run to increase their lead to 53-36. MBU could not muster a run at a comeback, as they were limited to just 21 points in the second half.
The Spartans shot just 20 percent from the field in the second half, making just 5-of-24 shots from inside the arc.
Missouri Baptist will travel to Leavenworth, Kan. to take part in the University of St. Mary Classic. MBU will play St. Mary on November 22 at 8:00 pm. The finale of the classic will feature the Spartans and Ottawa University on November 23 at 1 pm.
