The game went back and forth over the first 10 minutes with five lead changes and one tie as the host Lady Cougars (10-1) clung to a 13-12 lead at the 9:48 mark.

Then, Kenyon (1-6) used a 14-4 run over the next seven and a half minutes to build a 26-17 advantage with 2:10 left before the half. Taylor Lenci and Laurel Stokes nailed a three-pointer each to help fuel the surge.

A three-pointer by senior guard Rachel Fiely with 1:50 remaining before the break closed the gap to 26-20 and that would prove to be the final scoring of the half. Unfortunately, that would also prove to be the only three-pointer that MVNU would make on the night in 14 attempts from beyond the arc.

Sophomore post Amanda Himes (left) led the Lady Cougars with seven points and 10 rebounds, while Fiely and sophomore forward Kellie Jokela added four points apiece. MVNU shot just 25.8 percent from the field (8-for-31), 12.5 percent from three-point range (1-for-8), and 33.3 percent from the free throw line (3-for-9).

Kenyon was led by Lenci with eight first-half points, while Stokes added five points. The Ladies shot 35.5 percent from the field (11-for-31), 44.4 percent from three-point range (4-for-9), and missed both of their free throw attempts.

Kenyon started the second half on a 6-4 run to extend its lead back out to 32-24 just three minutes into the final period. Then, three points from Himes, a pair of free throws by sophomore forward Alexis Harkins, and a basket by senior post Melissa Mastrodonato helped the Lady Cougars close the gap to 34-31 by the 13:04 mark.

After the Ladies built their lead back to 42-33 with 10:05 to play, MVNU used a 10-0 run to take a 43-42 lead with 7:08 to play as Fiely split a pair of free throws. Harkins scored the first seven points of the comeback surge and Himes added a pair of free throws during the run.

The lead went back and forth and the Lady Cougars still held a 48-46 advantage after Fiely went 1-for-2 at the line with 4:14 to play. However, Kenyon would go on to score the next eight straight points to take a 54-48 lead with 2:35 remaining as MVNU committed two costly turnovers and missed a three-point attempt.

A pair of free throws by Himes with 2:10 to play pulled the Lady Cougars within 54-50. Senior guard Jessica Lynn was fouled while grabbing a defensive rebound with 1:54 to play, and she calmly sank both free throws to edge MVNU even closer at 54-52.

After Kenyon missed a shot with 1:45 to play, Fiely was called for an offensive foul which gave the ball back to the Ladies. Once again, the Lady Cougars dodged a bullet, though, as despite getting two offensive rebounds Kenyon could not connect on three field goal attempts and Himes finally snagged the defensive rebound with 38 seconds to go.

MVNU was unable to take advantage of this opportunity as the Lady Cougars turned the ball over with 18 seconds left and then were forced to foul with 16.8 seconds remaining.

MVNU got another opportunity to send the game to overtime with a basket or win the game with a three-pointer when Lenci missed both free throw attempts and Jokela grabbed the rebound. However, after Fiely dribbled off most of the remaining time instead of going towards the basket, Jokela’s desperation three-point attempt just ahead of the buzzer did not connect as the Lady Cougars suffered their first loss of the year 54-52.

“Kenyon out-played us tonight and earned the victory,” said MVNU coach Steve Gregory. “Their defense was very good and our shooting was poor from the perimeter. Their defense had a lot to do with that. They hit shots tonight and they got the majority of the hustle plays. We were a little better defensively in the second half, but we just did not have enough of a supporting cast show up offensively to get us over the hump.”

Himes posted another double-double as she led the Lady Cougars with 20 points, 17 rebounds, three blocked shots, and four steals. Harkins (right) added 13 points and eight rebounds, while Fiely and Mastrodonato finished with six points apiece. MVNU’s bench was out-scored 17-7 in the game and played just 20 minutes compared to 63 minutes logged by the Kenyon reserves. The Lady Cougars shot just 28.1 percent from the field (16-for-57), 7.1 percent from three-point range (1-for-14), and 65.5 percent from the free throw line (19-for-29).

“Amanda saw double and triple teams most of the night and still managed 20 points and 17 rebounds,” said Gregory. “Alexis contributed some big shots in the second half along with grabbing eight rebounds. Rachel was great defensively, but we need her to be more offensive-minded and create more shot opportunities for herself. Melissa also gave us some valuable minutes off the bench.”

Lenci led the Ladies with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Andrea Pohly tossed in 11 points off the bench. Stokes finished with nine points and five rebounds, and Morgan Korinek contributed eight points. Kenyon shot 40.4 percent from the field (23-for-57), 36.4 percent from three-point range (4-for-11), and 44.4 percent from the free throw line (4-for-9).

“We must take better care of the ball,” said Gregory. “Give Kenyon credit, they played hard, they hit shots, they played tenacious defense, and they earned the win.”

MVNU will look to bounce back next Friday when the Lady Cougars travel to Defiance College for a non-conference game that will tip off at 7:30 p.m. MVNU defeated Defiance 77-63 in the Physical Education Center back on November 18.