Sterling, Kan. – In winning their 10th straight game 84-72 in a key KCAC matchup this evening (Jan. 7) at the Sterling College Lady Warriors, the (RV) Friends University Falcons improved to 14-1 to secure the program's best 15-game start to a season in the modern era. The win also gives the Falcons sole possession of second place in the KCAC at 8-1 in the league.
The Falcons trailed 14-13 after one quarter and 28-25 at the 2:09 mark of the second period when five straight points from Lauryn McIver ignited a 7-0 run to close the half and put Friends up 32-28 at the break.
Friends carried the momentum into the second half and pushed the lead to nine on a bucket by Ella Brown at the midway point of the third quarter.
After the Lady Warriors trimmed the lead to 50-47, Rayland Garner drilled a three to cap a 12-4 spurt during the final 3:33 of the third to give the Falcons their biggest lead to that point.
A three by Katie Weiss opened the scoring in the fourth to create a 65-51 edge and then a three by McIver provided Friends with its largest of the game at 72-57 with 6:31 remaining.
Karlee Jacobs would hit a three to bring Sterling within eight at the 4:26 mark, but McIver answered with a bucket and Garner nailed two free throws to stretch the lead back to 78-66 and the Falcons comfortably held on from that point.
Garner led the Falcons with 19 points and had seven rebounds and six assists, with McIver chipping in with 14 points, nine boards, six assists and three steals. KK Peeler scored a career-high 13 points and Abigail Barr added 12 points.
McKenna Vogl led all scorers with 21 points for Sterling and Jacobs was right behind with 20 points. Kali Briar produced a double-double of 15 points and 10 assists while Bailey Young had a team-high eight rebounds for the Lady Warriors (11-4, 7-2 KCAC).
The Falcons enjoyed a big 22-6 edge in bench points, led by nine points from Weiss and seven points by Raegan Bugaj.
Friends will continue its three-game road trip Saturday (Jan. 10) at Oklahoma Wesleyan University for a 3 pm tip-off in Bartlesville, Okla.
