LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — Southwestern College hung tough through the opening half, but a dominant second-half surge by the University of Saint Mary pushed the Spires past the Lady Builders 81–45 in a Saturday afternoon KCAC matchup.
Southwestern (3–4, 0–3) trailed just 38–33 late in the second quarter after a steady offensive rhythm kept the contest close. The Lady Builders shot 11 of 23 in the first half and earned repeated trips to the free-throw line, where they converted 10 of 14 attempts.
Macey Pond powered the Southwestern offense, finishing with a team-high 12 points, seven rebounds and two steals in 34 minutes. She went 5 of 12 from the field and scored in every quarter. Her sister, Aubrey Pond, added 10 points, six made free throws and two rebounds, continuing her efficient scoring around the rim.
Senior forward Allyson Frank turned in one of her most productive outings of the season, providing nine points on 5-of-8 shooting from the stripe while adding three rebounds. Martha De La Rosa added seven points and matched Macey Pond with seven rebounds, helping Southwestern stay competitive on the glass through the first half.
The Lady Builders' strongest stretch came in the opening quarter, where they traded baskets with the Spires and stayed within a possession for much of the frame. Southwestern attacked the paint early, scoring eight points around the rim while holding Saint Mary to one field goal over a two-minute stretch.
But Saint Mary (5–2, 2–1) caught fire from beyond the arc and never cooled off. The Spires buried 14 three-pointers and had five players score at least nine points. Keely Barnard led all scorers with 21 points, while Saige Grampsas added 16 and Addison Tower chipped in 14.
The Spires used a 19–9 third-quarter advantage to create separation, then closed the game with a 24–3 fourth-quarter run as Southwestern struggled to find looks against Saint Mary's length and pressure. The Lady Builders were held to 15-for-48 shooting overall, including 1-for-11 from three-point range.
Despite the final margin, Southwestern forced 10 Saint Mary turnovers and continued to show resilience on the road, especially in the opening 20 minutes. The Lady Builders also received a lift from their bench, which contributed 12 points, led by Frank and De La Rosa.
Southwestern now turns its attention to a nonconference matchup on Monday, Nov. 24, when the Lady Builders travel to Hesston, Kansas, to face the Hesston College Larks. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. as Southwestern looks to regroup and build momentum before returning to KCAC play.
