Box Score

The 18th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team fell by a score of 63-60 to 12th-ranked Washburn on Thursday evening (Jan. 10) in Hays. Fort Hays State had an 11-point second half lead at one point, but Washburn chipped away at the lead steadily to eventually take the lead late and hang on. Washburn moved to 9-2 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA, while Fort Hays State moved to 10-3 overall and 2-3 in the MIAA.

The first half was tight throughout, as neither team could take a lead of more than four. FHSU led at the half 28-26. A 13-4 run by FHSU to open the second half allowed the Lady Tigers to build an 11-point lead at the 17:03 mark.

Washburn kept chipping away, but FHSU pushed its lead back to 10 at the 11:09 mark. Up nine with 8:15, FHSU finally hit a rough patch offensively and Washburn climbed back in quickly. A despiration 3-point field goal attempt by Laura Kinderknecht that went off the backboard into the basket pulled the Lady Blues within one with 6:17 remaining. That kept what turned into a 10-0 run for the Lady Blues alive and they took the lead by one to end the run at the 5:32 mark. A Beth Bohuslavsky layup put the Tigers back on top momentarily, but that was the last time FHSU would lead.

A layup by Katelyn Edwards with 1:23 remaining tied the game at 60-60, but that was the last basket for FHSU. A layup by Stormye Everett of Washburn with 13 seconds remaining put the Lady Blues back on top. The Lady Blues committed a foul on Kate Lehman with six seconds remaining, but she could not hit either free-throw attempt. Laura Kinderknecht added one more point for the Lady Blues at the line, capping her team-best 18-point performance to push the lead to three. Melissa Nelson's halfcourt attempt at the buzzer was off the mark and the Lady Blues escaped Hays with a win for the second straight year.

Lehman was the top scorer for FHSU with 17 points. She also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and had four blocked shots. Kelsie Sorenson added nine points in her second start of the season and Katelyn Edwards was held to single figures for the first time this year, also with nine.

Washburn outshot FHSU from the field 47.7 percent to 35.2 percent. The Lady Blues were 54.5 percent beyond the 3-point line, while the Lady Tigers struggled to 29.4 percent. Free-throw shooting also cost the Lady Tigers in a close game as they finished 56.7 percent at the charity stripe (17-of-30).

After opening the year on a 10-game win streak, Fort Hays State now looks to end a three-game losing streak when it hosts Southwest Baptist next Wednesday (Jan. 16) at 5:30 pm.