The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team came up short Sunday afternoon as the Fort Hays State Tigers defeated the Bearcats, 67-52.

Northwest drops to 4-5 overall, 0-4 in MIAA play.
 
Northwest battled back from a nine-point deficit in the first quarter to take a 21-20 lead into second quarter action. The Bearcats went on a seven-point scoring run in the final minute of the first quarter with the last bucket being a corner three-pointer from Peyton Kelderman to give Northwest a one-point lead. Northwest was 8-of-11 from the field in the first ten minutes of action for a percentage of 72.7.
 
The Bearcats continued their scoring run into the second quarter as they scored a total of 15 unanswered points. Hays did not score until the 5:06 mark of the second quarter. Northwest entered the media timeout with a 31-25 lead after going on a 22-7 scoring run.
 
Heading to halftime, Northwest led Fort Hays 33-29. The Bearcats held the Tigers to just nine points in the second quarter on 4-of-15 shooting. Northwest connected on 13-of-26 field goal attempts in the half while Hays only knocked down 11-of-28 attempts. Northwest led the rebounding battle with 19 to the Tigers 12, as well as points in the paint as the Bearcats had 16 compared to 12 for Fort Hays.
 
Peyton Kelderman had a team-high eight points at the half as she knocked down two triples along with a mid range jumper. Kelsey Fields added seven points and four rebounds, and Molly Hartnett tallied six points, three rebounds, and two assists.
 
Hays found its rhythm offensively as they opened up the second half on a 15-2 run to take its first lead since the first quarter. With just over five minutes to go in the third, the Tigers led 44-35. In the third quarter, Fort Hays outscored Northwest 25-7 to take a 54-40 lead into the final quarter.
 
After four quarters, Fort Hays State defeated Northwest by a score of 67-52.
 
Molly Hartnett led Northwest in scoring with 14 points. Kelsey Fields ended the game with nine points and six rebounds. Peyton Kelderman finished with eight points, and Jillian Fleming finished with seven points and two rebounds. As a team, Northwest outrebounded the Tigers by four.
 
Northwest will look to snap its four game losing skid Tuesday, Dec. 13, as they take on McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois. Tip is set for 6 p.m. in the Melvin Price Convocation Center.