Women's Basketball Pulls Away Early in Win Over Southwestern

Marshall, Mo., (Nov. 10, 2023)- The Missouri Valley College women's basketball team played its first home game of the season, hosting Southwestern (Kan.) in a non-conference game Friday evening inside the Burns Athletic Complex.  The Vikings pulled away late in the first half, and finished out a 97-58 win.

The first quarter opened with Southwestern going in front early, 4-3.  Junior Rajone Callahan (Wichita, Kan.) put the Vikings on top with a three-pointer that opened an eight-point run for the team.  Junior Gia Moore (Independence, Mo.) put in a pair of free throws, while Sophomore Tyler Conkright (Ellington, Mo.) sank a three-point shot put the advantage at 11-4 midway through the quarter.  Junior Maddie Ferrara (Hendersonville, Tenn.) made a three-point shot, with Freshman Jocelyn Thompson (Austin, Texas) added a field goal to make it a 16-8 score with less than four minutes to play in the quarter.  The lead reached double-digits for the first time, at 21-9, after a three-pointer from Ferrara.  Freshman Jozelynn Bostick (Centralia, Mo.) and Junior Noa Fernandez (Castraneda, Spain) each added late baskets, and sent Missouri Valley into the second quarter in front, 25-11.  

Freshman Ricarda Schott (Krefeld, Germany) scored the opening four points of the second quarter for the Vikings, followed by a field goal from Sophomore Sophie Sullivan (Lombard, Ill.) to stretch the lead out to 31-13 with three minutes played.  One basket each from Thompson and Moore allowed the team to hold a 37-17 advantage with less than five minutes to play in the half.  The Vikings added to their lead through the rest of the quarter, which included a late layup from Sophomore Maisie Harrhy (Barry, Wales) and three-pointer from Bostick in the closing moments to cap scoring and send MVC into halftime on top, 51-24.  Missouri Valley shot at 50-percent from the floor in the half, and limited Southwestern to 18-percent shooting.

Moore made a three-point to start scoring in the third quarter, with Conkright adding another three-point basket to put the advantage at 57-24 with two minutes played.  Southwestern was held scoreless through more the four minutes at the start of the quarter, as MVC caused four turnovers during the stretch of play.  Sullivan capped scoring in the third with a layup with less than 30-seconds on the clock, and the Vikings went into the fourth quarter with a 71-40 advantage.  Harrhy and Sophomore Mackenzie Mann (Oak Grove, Mo.) both added early baskets in the fourth quarter to put the score at 75-43.  Freshman Emily Dolberry (Arlington, Texas) sank a three-pointer just past the eight-minute mark, then made a jump shot with less than six minutes to play to stretch the lead to 84-51.  The final points of the game came on a layup from Freshman Sarah Arnett (Mandeville, La.) to close out a 97-58 victory.

Five Vikings scored in double-figures, led by Moore who totaled 13 points and five steals, while Conkright added 13 points and nine rebounds.  Bostick came off the bench to score 11 points, grab seven rebounds and total six assists, with Ferrara added 11 points off the bench.  Sullivan totaled 10 points and seven rebounds.  Missouri Valley forced 16 turnovers in the game and limited Southwestern to 26-percent shooting from the floor.

The win moves Missouri Valley to 2-1 on the season, while Southwestern falls to 0-3.

Up next, the Vikings will open play in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with a home game, Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., against No. 20 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.).  The men's game will follow at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.