ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Baptist women's basketball team fell to 15th ranked Columbia College tonight, 81-61. The Spartans trailed by just six points at the break, but the Cougars shot 50 percent in the second half to pull away.

Missouri Baptist (5-13, 3-7 AMC) made just 21-of-56 (37%) shots from the floor, and 2-of-12 from three-point range. The Spartans won the rebounding battle over the Cougars, 41-34, and were led by Haley Elders' seven rebounds. Kristyne Smyth and Taylor Klingelhoefer each pulled down six rebounds.

No. 15 Columbia College (14-5, 10-1 AMC) shot 47 percent from the floor on 31-of-66, including 6-of-17 from deep range.

Smyth led the Spartans in scoring once again, tying a career-high 28 points on 9-of-20 from the floor. She also made a season-high 10-of-12 free throw shots. Klingelhoefer sank 2-of-7 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 free throw shots en route to nine points.

The Cougars clawed their way to a 12-1 lead over the first four minutes of play, but Missouri Baptist cut the deficit to 12-11, thanks to a 10-0 run over a 2:30 span.

Missouri Baptist drew even at 20-20 with 8:48 left in the half via Morgan Settle's mid-range jumper.

Just 59 seconds later, Settle hit a three-pointer to give the Spartans a 23-22 lead, but Columbia used an 11-0 run to retake the lead by 10.

Columbia College headed into the halftime break with a 38-32 lead over the Spartans.

In the second half, the Cougars were able to increase their lead to 12 points several times over the first 12 minutes of the half, but the Spartans were able to stay within striking distance. The momentum finally went full swing towards Columbia with 7:58 left in the game when the Cougars outscored Missouri Baptist 18-8 the remainder of the game.

Columbia College headed back to Columbia, Mo. with a 81-61 win, dropping the Spartans to 5-13 on the season.