Poor second half sends Lady Coyotes to third straight loss
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Jentri Dixon (25) goes up for a shot during the first half of KWU's 44-58 loss to Tabor on Thursday

Tabor College outscored Kansas Wesleyan 33-15 in the second half as the Lady Bluejays got past the Lady Coyotes 58-44 on Thursday night at Muir Gym.

It was the third straight loss for the Lady Coyotes, while Tabor snapped a two-game skid.

The Lady Bluejays jumped out to an early four-point lead, 6-2, but the Lady Coyotes rallied, using a 8-0 run, sparked by an old fashioned three point play by Kaylaen Dittmer with 15:35 left. Dittmer would then give Wesleyan its first lead less than a minute later as Jenn Lee found her for the score with 14:45 left. The Lady Coyotes would pull out to as much as a seven-point advantage, 17-10, on a basket by Madison Askins with 10:50 left in the first half.

Nicole Ellis would spark at Tabor rally, erasing Wesleyan’s lead, and tying things up at 17-all with 7:50 left on a bucket by Donya Anderson. The Coyotes would answer with a 5-0 run of their own to take a 22-17 lead with 4:35 left. The Lady Coyotes would again lead by five following a Ascendra Peters basket, when Tabor would use a 6-0 run to take a brief 25-24 lead on a pair of Erin Runge free throws with 1:35 left before the half.

Peters would hit a three to give the Coyotes the lead back, and would score again just before the half as the Lady Coyotes took a 29-25 lead into halftime.

Four straight Tabor (21-3, 12-3) points would tie things up at 29-all with 18:21 left. Runge would tie it up again with 16:44 left on a pair of free throws as Tabor pulled out to a four-point lead, 35-31 with 15:11 left. Wesleyan would rally, taking a 38-37 lead on a Peters basket with 9:48 left. It was the last lead the Lady Coyotes would have on the night.

Stacie Herman hit a three for Tabor, giving them the lead and sparking a 21-6 run to finish the game for the Lady Bluejays. Wesleyan (7-18, 3-15) also experienced another scoring drought during the run. After hitting the 40-point mark with 6:40 to go, the Wesleyan offense went dormant for the next 4:35, until Lee hit a layup with 2:05 left.

Peters would cap the scoring with a pair of free throws with 26 seconds left as the Lady Coyotes dropped a 58-44 decision to Tabor.

Peters would lead the way with a game-high 20 points, as the only Lady Coyote in double figures. Charressa Gray would add nine and Dittmer and Lee would added five each as KWU shot a frigid 17-of-62 from the field for 27.4 percent, including going 5-of-31 in the second half (16.1 percent). Gray and Jentri Dixon led the Coyotes with seven rebound each.

Anderson would lead Tabor with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Kirsten Watson would add 11 and Herman had 10 for Tabor who shot 20-of-51 from the floor for 39.2 percent. Runge would add six rebounds as Tabor held a 41-36 advantage on rebounds.

KWU finishes the home portion of the regular season on Saturday hosting Bethel, before wrapping up the regular season on the road at McPherson and at Saint Mary next week.

-- KWU SI --