Friends Athletics
Levi Convirs, Sports Information Director
WICHITA – The Friends University Falcons made a late push but fell to the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles Tuesday night, 65-48, at the Garvey Center.
Cierra Johnson hit back-to-back threes to give the Eagles an early 15-6 lead. Oklahoma Wesleyan finished the opening quarter on an 8-1 run to take a 20-7 advantage.
A three by Gracie Sammons (SO/Aubrey, Texas) cut the lead to 21-11 early in the second period, but the Eagles went on an 11-3 spurt that included two threes. Sammons stopped the run when she cut to the basket for a layup that just beat the buzzer.
Kayna Simoneau (JR/Rose Hill, Kan.) took over for the Falcons in the third quarter scoring nine points, including a steal in the backcourt for an easy layup. Simoneau cut the lead to 38-27 when she drove to the basket, drew a foul, and finished the layup. The Eagles took a 44-34 lead into the final period.
Oklahoma Wesleyan opened the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run capped off by another Johnson three. The Falcons made one last push, but the deficit proved too much to overcome.
Simoneau scored a game-high 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field. Bridget Busbee (SO/Grand Prairie, Texas) added 10 points, including 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Hannah Nealis led three Eagles in double-figure scoring with 15 points, while Danae Goodwin added 12 points, and Makayla Watkins chipped in 10 points.
The Eagles shot 33.3 percent from the perimeter, knocking down nine shots from distance.
The Falcons go on the road Saturday (Nov. 28) for a KCAC matchup with Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan. Friends will return to the Garvey Center on Monday (Nov. 30) for the makeup game against Southwestern College.