24 no more for fourth-ranked Lady Bluejays years ago
Ottawa shocks Tabor to claim KCAC tournament title, 69-57
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Take a trip back in time to Nov. 22, 2005.
That was the last time the Lady Bluejays lost a game, a 69-68 heartbreaker to famed Tabor alumni Susan Decker's Baker Wildcats in Baldwin City.
Since then, the Bluejays have left a path of destruction throughout NAIA women's basketball.
They ripped off a nation's best 24 consecutive wins while climbing to a school record number four in the NAIA poll.
That all came to a screeching halt Monday night in the KCAC Championship Tournament in Hillsboro against the Ottawa Lady Braves.
Beating a team twice is no small task. Throw in a third time against a team fighting for its life, it becomes harder yet.
The Braves proved the third time was the charm, snapping the Bluejays' 24-game winning streak with a 69-57 shocker amidst handing Tabor (27-4, 20-1) its first loss at home.
Despite the loss, the Bluejays still have their ticket secured for the NAIA's Big Dance next week in Iowa City, Iowa, as do the Braves.
"I think we played our usual game," said a sullen Bluejay Co-KCAC Coach-of-Year Rusty Allen. "We played really hard, we ran up against a team that has a lot of talent and put it together tonight.
"I just tip my hat to them (Ottawa). They've got a nice team and they really put together a good game. They were very determined."
That determination was evident with the Braves leading the entire first half with Tabor shooting an uncharacteristic 37 percent from the floor.
The Bluejays only pulled within a point twice with KCAC first-teamer Hallie Boyce coming up with the big shots any time Ottawa was threatened.
Boyce dumped a game-high 21 points on Tabor, going 3-for-6 from outside.
Erica Dechant got a three to fall with 9:14 left in the first half to square the game at 16-all.
That was characteristic of the Bluejays all night; able to tie the game or barely pull ahead.
Hanging on to the lead was impossible, with Tabor only able to enjoy it twice.
A three-point play from Amanda Stichler put Tabor down 28-18 with just under 5:00 to go before the break, its largest deficit of the first half.
Chipping in 11 points, Katie Tedder helped the Bluejays close the gap to 33-28 at halftime with a 10-5 run.
Ottawa's double-teaming KCAC Player-of-the-Year Bluejay leading scorer Erica Hemmert kept her from ever getting into the flow of the game.
Hemmert's contributions came from going 4-for-4 at the free-throw line, dishing out three assists and pulling down seven rebounds to finish with six points.
Donya Anderson really stepped up, scoring team-high 16 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.
Anderson erased the Braves' lead to 39-38 before Jill Hein gave Tabor its first lead of the game, 40-39 with 13:53 left.
Hein left everything on the court, scoring 13 points while snagging five rebounds before fouling out late in the game.
"There was a time in the second half where we got a lead and we had a lot of chances to take some control of the game," Allen said. "We just couldn't get it done."
Missed shots and carelessness with the ball kept that from ever materializing with the Bluejays committing 17 turnovers on the night, many coming at inopportune times.
Tabor pushed its lead to three four times, but the Braves always were able to stay within arm's length.
Anderson's basket with just under 7:00 to go to again put the Bluejays ahead by three, 51-48 before catastrophe struck.
Brittany Broyles added 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for Ottawa, sparking the pivotal 21-6 run that put Tabor away.
While the Braves were extending their lead, Tabor was drawing iron or throwing the ball away, even shooting an improved 45 percent the second half and holding Ottawa to 39.
Anderson's fast break with 1:07 remaining marked the final basket the Bluejays could get to go down when Tabor was already facing a three-possession game.
Ottawa kept adding to its lead, shooting seven-for-nine at the free-throw line the closing 1:33 and 15-of-21 for the game.
Making things harder for Tabor yet, the Braves only put the Bluejays at the line four times the second half and just eight overall.
Even with the rough loss, Allen has no doubts about his team's hunger at the national tournament.
"Our team is so fired up," he said. "Their goals have been set on making the Final Four at the national tournament since last spring.
"They've busted their tails trying to get ready for that. They're disappointed, they're trying to deal with feelings of embarrassment because we got beat on our home court. Last year, a loss in the conference tournament absolutely did us some good. So this time, we've got to say to ourselves let this do us some good."
The Bluejays seedings at the national tournament and first-round opponent have yet to be determined.
