KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Southwestern College battled early but could not keep pace as the Lady Builders fell 80-50 to Avila University on Monday night in a conference road contest at Avila University.

Southwestern stayed within striking distance through the opening quarter and briefly held the lead midway through the first period. The Lady Builders trailed just 15-14 after one quarter before Avila used a 23-point second quarter to create separation heading into halftime.

Despite the setback, Southwestern had several strong individual efforts. Macey Pond led the Lady Builders with a double-double, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds while logging 37 minutes. Martha De La Rosa also scored 11 points, knocking down two 3-pointers, and added five rebounds. Kennedy Ford provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, including two 3-pointers, and went 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.

Breanna Goad added eight points and three rebounds, while Emma Parker chipped in five points as Southwestern worked to stay competitive in the paint and on the glass. The Lady Builders matched Avila on the boards with 40 rebounds but struggled from the field, shooting 25.8 percent overall.

Avila extended its lead in the second half and pulled away in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

Southwestern dropped to 4-15 overall and 0-13 in conference play. The Lady Builders will remain on the road for a quick turnaround, traveling to face Bethel College (KS) on Wednesday, Jan. 28, with tipoff set for 5:00 p.m. in North Newton, Kansas.