ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist Women's Basketball gave its senior day audience a thrill in the early stages of Saturday's game against Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.). The team led 23-12 after one quarter, but was unable to hang-on in a 74-67 loss at home in the season finale.
Missouri Baptist (10-17, 9-15 AMC) put together what may have been its finest performance in the opening 10 minutes. The team took an early 5-0 lead in the first two minutes, and though the Lady Lions drew back within two minutes later, the Spartans put together another run.
Morgan Settle scored four of the nine points during a 9-0 run by the home team and helped to build a 14-3 lead just over midway through the quarter.
The Spartans continued its pressure, and even with a three-pointer by Taleeah Cross in the final seconds of the quarter, held a 23-12 advantage heading into the second.
Freed-Hardeman responded in the proceeding quarter. Cross continued her solid play and finished with 14 points in the half (seven points in each quarter) and led the Lady Lions to outscore Missouri Baptist 22-11 in the second frame.
The Spartans led in the second quarter by as many as 14 with 7:44 to play in the half. But Freed-Hardeman put together a 12-2 run to put themselves right back in the game. Though Missouri Baptist led 32-26 with 2:30 left, the Lady Lions made one final push to tie the game at 34-all heading into halftime.
After the break, the Spartans stormed-out to a 5-0 lead, but Freed-Hardeman was meticulous. The Lady Lions played consistent basketball throughout the third quarter and posted its first lead of the game with 3:20 left in the third quarter.
Freed-Hardeman found its groove late in the third, and after entering the fourth with the lead, it was able to weather a solid final quarter from the Spartans. The Lady Lions outscored Missouri Baptist 17-14 in the fourth and grabbed an important American Midwest Conference win to sew-up third place.
Senior Jerica Hawkins, who played all 40 minutes of Saturday's game, led the Spartans. The Decatur, Ill., native recorded 15 points and nine boards in the contest.
Senior Angela Talley followed with 14 points while senior Taylor Klingelhoefer finished with 13. Klingelhoefer ended her Spartan career with 1,106 career points.
As a team, Missouri Baptist outshot the Lady Lions 44 percent to 40 percent, but committed 20 turnovers, eight of which occurred in the third quarter.
Taleeah Cross led the Lady Lions with 26 points, while Kim Mallory netted 20 of her own.
The Spartans end the season on Saturday as they finished just outside the AMC Playoff picture.
