Hastings College Women's Basketball Defeats Tabor, 68-55

(Hastings, NE) – Playing in front of the home crowd for their second consecutive game to open the season, #18 Hastings took down Tabor, 68-55, on Friday night.

The Broncos started fast by scoring the first six points of the game, the first basket by sophomore Josilyn Miller, followed by two baskets by senior Bailey Kissinger. Tabor got back within two at the 6:45 mark, then baskets by junior Jentri Marx and sophomore Emma Rowan put them up six. Tabor managed to cut the lead to two with three minutes left in the quarter, but Hastings scored five of the last seven points to lead 21-16 after one.

Sophomore Catelynn Bargen hit Hastings' first three of the game at the 7:31 mark, putting them up five, then Rowan scored off of a steal by junior Adyson Mlnarik to take a 28-21 lead. Later in the quarter, Marx converted a three-point play.

Leading 31-27, Miller found junior McKenna Yates for a bucket. Miller got a steal on the next possession and fed Kissinger for a layup. In the final two minutes of the half, Miller hit a three and Kissinger scored on an and-one, then Miller drilled another three at the halftime buzzer to go up 44-32.

Hastings shot 56 percent from the field in the first half, while Tabor was at 46 percent and without a three-pointer. Kissinger led the team in scoring with nine points, along with three rebounds, in the first half.

The Bluejays opened the second half with a three on their first possession. Free throws by junior Ann Bose and a layup by freshman Madelyn Wilson stretched the lead to 13 with 6:27 left in the third. Rowan and Bose hit shots later in the quarter and Kissinger added a free throw to put them up 55-41 going to the fourth, as they held Tabor to nine points on 36 percent shooting and nine turnovers in the quarter.

Rowan made a couple shots in the first three minutes of the fourth, as they led by 14. Yates drilled a three midway through the period, going up 64-49. The Bluejays scored twice to get within 11, but a layup from Wilson, followed by a Tabor turnover and basket by Yates put them back up 15 with 2:17, as Hastings went on to win by a score of 68-55.

For the game, Hastings shot 48 percent from the field and held Tabor to 43 percent. The Broncos allowed only one made three pointer and forced 28 turnovers, outscoring Tabor 29-15 in points off turnovers. Kissinger had 12 points and four rebounds, while Rowan came off the bench and also had 12 points. Yates ended with 11 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Miller had eight points, five assists, and two steals.

Up next, Hastings (2-0) will play an exhibition game at Northern Colorado on Monday, Nov. 2 at 6pm, then will be off until they begin conference play at #2 Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 2pm.