St. Louis, MO - The McKendree University Women's Basketball team went toe-to-toe with the Lewis Flyers in the GLVC Tournament Quarterfinal round on Friday afternoon at UMSL's Mark Twain Building. The game was within a single-digit margin all the way up until the fourth quarter, when Lewis secured the game's first double-digit lead. They would never look back, out-scoring McKendree 50-31 in the second half for a 77-63 victory, ending the Bearcats' season and snapping their program record-tying seven-game win streak with a final record of 18-9 overall and 15-5 in the GLVC. It wasn't without a remarkable fight from McKendree, who had Baylie Parks turn in a 23rd career double-double, and a near double-double from Taylor Fohey to keep the Flyers within reach. 

McKendree scored the first points of the game on a layup from Parks, but from there, it was truly a see-saw affair. In fact, it wasn't until Lewis made a pair of free throws toward the end of the quarter that either side held a multiple-possession lead (14-10 Lewis). Tessa Crawford knocked down a shot from distance with seconds remaining in the quarter, but Lewis beat the quarter buzzer to go ahead 17-13 after the first. 

Despite the quarter break, it didn't take long for McKendree to counter, with Emma Slings hitting a trey to cut it to a one-point game. Roughly a minute later, Parks would knock down a jumper to take the lead back at 18-17. Parks sparked perhaps McKendree's best stretch of the game in the mid-section of the second quarter, hitting a pair of free throws and a layup for a personal 4-0 run in what would give the Bearcats their largest lead of the game at the time. After the Flyers fought it back to a two-point game, Crawford knocked down another three to get a five-point advantage with just under a minute left. No scoring would happen the rest of the quarter, giving McKendree the 32-27 lead at the half. Now, Lewis has predominantly been a three-point shooting team. Not necessarily one-dimensional, but those are falling when they're at their best. They were just 2-of-8 at the halftime break. They would then go 5-of-7 from distance in the second half. 

The margin would continue to stay within a score out of the locker room, even sitting at a tie on three separate occasions within the first three minutes of the quarter. The Flyers hit a jumper to go ahead 41-39 with 6:06 remaining in the third. Fohey and Crawford both hit jumpers for a small 4-0 run to come back and tie the game at 44 apiece. Lewis, however, answered with a trey on the other end for a 47-44 lead at the 2:59 mark of the third. Despite a valiant effort from the Bearcats, McKendree would not force a tie or take the lead for the remainder of the game, as Lewis led 52-47 going to the fourth. 

The Bearcats got a successful hook shot from Tessa Crawford to pull within 54-49 with 8:42 left, but that would be the closest McKendree got in the game's final frame. A fast-break bucket from the Flyers put them up 10 at 61-51 with 5:23 left, the game's first double-figure lead for either side - a testament to just how truly close this one was right up to the end. The Bearcats were able to get baskets from Parks and Fohey to make it a 13-point game just under the two-minute mark. The last scoring of the game saw Kylie Moeller go on a personal 5-0 run with a three-pointer and a jump shot to set the 14-point final score. 

McKendree ends its season with 18 wins, a finish in the top half of the conference at 15-5, and a 9-2 record in true road games. 

BEARCAT INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Baylie Parks | 27 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
Tessa Crawford | 12 points
Taylor Fohey | 11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
2026-2027 Season