(LIBERTY, Mo., Feb. 7)--The McKendree University women's basketball team began its longest road trip of the season with a 77-68 loss Thursday evening at William Jewell College.
 
The host Cardinals exploded for 30 points in a high-scoring fourth quarter to hold off a late comeback attempt from the Bearcats. McKendree is now 11-10 overall and 5-7 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bearcats will play the second game in their four-game road swing Saturday afternoon at Rockhurst University. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo.
 
Sophomore guard Sydney Diekhoff (Pekin, IL/Pekin Community) led the Bearcats, scoring half of her team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Freshman guard Jenna Krause (Seymour, WI/Seymour) netted nine of her 13 points in the first half, while junior forward Megan Jensen (Union, MO/Saint Francis Borgia Regional) added nine points and seven rebounds. Krause also handed out four assists to lead all players. Senior forward Jordan Morton (Olathe, Kan./Olathe South) pulled down a game-high eight rebounds for the Bearcats, who held a 35-25 advantage in rebounding against William Jewell.
 
Defense ruled the majority of the first quarter as both teams got off to a slow start from the floor. McKendree held William Jewell scoreless for more than four minutes while building a 6-4 lead. The Cardinals put together a run of six straight points in the later stages of the period to move in front at 10-6. The squads traded three-pointers before Morton hit two free throws following an offensive rebound with 20 seconds on the clock to trim the deficit to 13-11 after 10 minutes of play.
 
Jensen scored on McKendree's first two possessions of the second quarter to push the Bearcats back to the lead at 15-13. The Bearcats eventually stretched their lead out to 20-17 when William Jewell used a 7-0 run to regain a 24-20 advantage with just under four minutes left until the intermission. The Cardinals' lead eventually grew to six points before holding a 30-26 lead at the break.
 
William Jewell opened the second half on a 9-2 run to build its first double-digit lead of the night, 39-28, with 6:09 remaining in the third quarter. McKendree chipped away at the Cardinals' lead and closed the period with a flourish, scoring six of the final eight points to pull within 47-43 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Junior forward Shayli Florine (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg) scored on a lay-up and free throw with 9:13 remaining to bring McKendree within 47-46. William Jewell responded with a 6-0 run to pull back out to a 53-46 advantage just over a minute later. The Cardinals later took their largest lead of the night at 61-49 with exactly six minutes on the clock, but had to hold off one final charge by the Bearcats.
 
McKendree clawed back within single digits, getting as close at 68-63 following a jumper by Diekhoff at the 1:52 mark. The teams traded scores before William Jewell was able to seal the win at the free throw line, going 7-of-8 from the stripe in the closing minute.  
 
Kiara Bradley scored a game-high 26 points to show the way for William Jewell (10-10, 4-8 GLVC). Macyn Wilbers and Antoinette Mussorici each chipped in with 12 points in the effort for the Cardinals.