Lady Blue Jays Slip To Blackburn

Sports Information

Carlinville, Ill. – The Lady Blue Jays slipped to Blackburn College Saturday afternoon, 75-70. The Blue Jays went 1-1 with Blackburn after defeating them 88-66 earlier this season. They are now 8-10 overall and 6-6 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.

The Blue Jays put the first points on the board, but the Blackburn Beavers were not far behind. After just 2:29 of play, Blackburn took the 6-5 lead. With 9:09 left in the first, the Blue Jays scored nine unanswered points to take the lead, 25-23.

The lead bounced back-and-forth, but four made free throws and a good three-pointer put the Blue Jays up by seven, 37-30. The Blue Jays went into halftime with the 37-33 lead.

Blackburn came into the second half and scored eight unanswered points to take the lead. Over the next minutes, Blackburn increased their lead to eight points, but the Blue Jays managed to bring the game within three, 51-48, with 12:28 left to play.

With 7:47 left in the game, fast break layup by sophomore Mackenzie Haddox tied the game up at 58-58, and a jumper by Haddox a minute later took the lead. A back-and-forth lead had the game tied at 70-70 with 1:05 left of play.

Blackburn scored three points before the Blue Jays had the opportunity to score. A missed layup with 12 seconds left in the game made the Blue Jays resort to fouling. Blackburn made both their free throws, and the Blue Jays were unable to get another shot off, ending the game with a 75-70 Westminster loss.

“We have to be ready for each opponent. Our energy and intensity was not consistent and Blackburn outplayed us,” stated Head Coach Tracey Braden.

Haddox led the Blue Jays with 15 points and added four assists and three steals to the loss.  Sophomore Jen Herndon pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds and finished a point shy of a double-double (9 points). Herndon also grabbed the game high 5 steals.

The Blue Jays will host Greenville College on Wednesday, February 5, at 6:00 p.m.