Wichita Standard

Swedes Halt Women's Basketball Falcons Winning Streak At Three

The Friends University Falcons four-game conference winning streak and three-game win streak overall came to an end this evening (Jan. 14) in a 61-49 setback at the Bethany College Swedes in Lindsborg, Kan. The loss drops the Falcons to 12-6 overall and into a tie for the fourth spot in the KCAC at 8-4 in the league. Meanwhile, the Swedes are now second in the league at 10-2 along with a 12-5 overall record.

The Falcons had to fight from behind from the outset, as the Swedes scored 10 of the game's first 13 points.

Down 13-5, the Falcons roared back behind a defensive effort that held the Swedes scoreless from the 4:17 mark of the opening period and the first 3:06 of the second quarter.

That allowed the Falcons to score the next 13 points, sparked by a three-point play by Jailen Johnson (SR/Grand Prairie, Texas) and a trey from Ellie Munds (FR/Wichita, Kan. ) before Taylor Jackson (SO/Houston, Texas) converted another three-point play to put Friends up 18-13 with 7:29 left in the half.

The Swedes got things going again with a 7-0 run to regain the lead before scores from Natia Hagan (FR/Humble, Texas) and Bridget Busbee (SR/Grand Prairie, Texas) put the Falcons back on top.

Bethany then scored the final two baskets of the half to take a 28-26 lead at the break.

Jackson was a menace defensively for the Falcons, recording eight blocks in the first 20 minutes of action.

After the Swedes continued the run with the first four points of the third quarter, the Falcons hung in and clawed within a point on a three by Munds that made it 32-31 at the 3:53 mark.

A three by Lauren Gleason and layup by Sarah Reiner pushed the lead back to six and that was the margin the Swedes carried into the fourth quarter.

The Falcons kept the game close through the early stages of the final period, getting a jumper from Kassie Kinniburgh (JR/Valley Center, Kan.) and then a layup from Hagan that twice trimmed the deficit to just two points.

But the Swedes slowly pulled away, as a jumper from Emily Weathers ignited a 6-0 burst that gave Bethany its largest lead since the first quarter.

The Falcons flashed one last push and got a three-point play from McKenzie Shippy (SR/Woodbine, Kan. ) and one free throw by Hagan to come back within four with 5:15 remaining, but the Swedes tightened up and got four points each from Weathers and Emily Green that sparked a 9-0 burst over the next 3:47 to put the game away.

Busbee led the Falcons with 10 points, while Jackson finished with nine rebounds and eight blocks, just one shy of her career-high and the school single-game record. Kinniburgh also pulled down nine boards for Friends.

The Falcons controlled the interior to the tune of a 37-27 advantage on the glass and a 20-18 edge in points in the paint. But 32 turnovers by the Falcons led to 27 points for the Swedes.

Despite holding a 38.3 percent (18-47) to 36.2 percent (25-of-69) advantage in overall field-goal percentage, the Falcons were outshot 57.1 percent to 30.8 percent in the critical fourth quarter.

Friends will look to get back on the right track at Bethel College Wednesday evening (Jan. 18) at 6 pm in North Newton, Kan.

Original source can be found here.