Struggles on the Road: Northwest Women’s Basketball Faces Tough Foes
Northwest women’s basketball wrapped up a challenging four-game road stretch with back-to-back conference defeats against the University of Nebraska-Kearney and the 11th-ranked Fort Hays State University from January 16 to 18.
The Bearcats, with a season record of 9-9 and a 2-6 standing in the MIAA, aimed to capitalize on their recent victories against the University of Central Missouri and Washburn University before returning home. They faced tough competition from their opponents, Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (13-3, 6-1 in the MIAA) and the Fort Hays Tigers (14-2, 5-2 in the MIAA), both of whom had previously bested Northwest earlier in the season.
In their first matchup on January 16, the Bearcats fell to Nebraska-Kearney 71-64 in a closely contested game. Despite the loss, graduate guard Molly Hartnett delivered an outstanding performance, scoring a career-high 28 points while shooting an impressive 8-of-14 from the field and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line. She also contributed six assists and six rebounds.
Junior forward Emree Zars added 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists to the team’s efforts, while graduate guard Caely Kesten scored 10 points, marking her fifth consecutive game in double figures.
The Bearcats faced another tough challenge on January 18, losing 84-60 to the Fort Hays Tigers in Hays, Kansas. Kesten continued her impressive scoring streak with 17 points, hitting 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Hartnett followed closely with 11 points, alongside five rebounds and four assists. Senior forward Kelsey Fields also made a contribution with nine points and six rebounds in the matchup.
Reflecting on the challenging road trip, head coach Austin Meyer praised the leadership of Hartnett and Kesten. “They have both stepped up tremendously in these last four games, showcasing impressive production and efficiency on the court,” Meyer stated. “Now, we need to find a reliable third or fourth scoring option to enhance our performance.”
Looking ahead, the Bearcats are set to return to Bearcat Arena on January 22 at 5:30 p.m. to take on Washburn for the second time this season, hoping to build on their previous overtime win against the same team.
