(AZUSA, Calif., Dec. 28)—Playing its first game in nearly three weeks, the McKendree College women’s basketball team was defeated by Azusa Pacific University on Thursday in the GSAC Challenge, 84-72. The six-team, two-day event is being held at the Felix Events Center on the Azusa Pacific campus.

 

The host Cougars broke open a close game with an 11-1 run late in the first half to pull away for the victory. Azusa Pacific, the No. 24-ranked team in the latest NAIA Division I poll, notched its sixth consecutive win to improve to 8-3 on the year. McKendree drops to 7-5 on the year and will wrap up play in the GSAC Challenge on Friday with a contest against No. 7 The Master’s College. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. PST.

 

Against Azusa Pacific, McKendree led by as many as four points on several occasions in the first half before the host Cougars battled back to take a 32-30 lead with 2:35 left in the period. Azusa Pacific held McKendree without a field goal for the rest of the half while using its decisive run to grab a 43-31 lead at the intermission.

 

The Bearcats rallied in the later stages of the second half, and pulled to within 80-72 on a jumper by senior guard Katie Hasheider (Okawville, Ill./Okawville) (Okawville, Ill./Okawville) with 1:17 to play. However, Monica Somers sank four free throws in the final 1:05 to help seal the win for Azusa Pacific.

 

Hasheider finished with a team-high 20 points and eight assists for McKendree, while senior forward Emily Hart (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) chipped in with 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Junior forward Suzy Gerler (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) added 13 points for the Bearcats.

 

Somers led Azusa Pacific with 22 points and five steals, while Meliame Hala’ufia came off the bench to post 16 points for the Cougars.