KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team nearly overcame a slow start with a frenetic fourth-quarter rally that came up five points short against Nebraska-Kearney, 52-47.
 
The Lopers (23-6 overall) advanced to the MIAA Tournament semifinals to face No. 2 seeded Fort Hays State Saturday at 2:15 p.m.
 
Northwest concludes its season with a mark of 17-12.
 
Bearcat redshirt freshman guard Molly Hartnett put up a game-high 26 points, including 17 in the second half as she led the Northwest comeback attempt.
 
The Bearcats managed two first-quarter points on 1-of-11 shooting with five turnovers. The Lopers scored the game's first 11 points. Mallory McConkey scored Northwest's first field goal with 1:29 to play in the opening quarter. Prior to McConkey's made shot, Northwest missed its first eight field goal attempts of the game.
 
Kearney doubled up Northwest at the break, 26-13.
 
Kearney led by as many as 19 in the second half at 37-18 with 5:13 to play in the third quarter. UNK's Claire Kirsch hit a baseline jumper at the third quarter buzzer to give UNK a 44-27 lead.
 
Northwest made a charge in the fourth quarter that began with an 11-0 spurt to cut the UNK lead to 44-38 with 7:02 to play. UNK's Trinity Law made two free throws and Shiloh McCool made one of two to push the lead back to nine at 47-38 with 4:23 to play.
 
Hartnett drew a foul on a basket and then drilled another shot with 2:46 left to trim the UNK margin to four at 47-43. McCool made one of two free throws again with 1:16. After a miss by McConkey, Hartnett stepped in and grabbed a steal. On the ensuing possession, Hartnett scored in the paint to pull within three at 48-45 with :47.7 left.
 
UNK made its only field goal of the fourth quarter on its next possession as Haley Simental scored with :22.3 left for a five-point lead. Hartnett hit a driving left-hand layup with :17.0 but the 'Cats could climb no closer. UNK sank two more free throws in the final :16 to close out the 52-47 win.
 
Northwest shot 33.9% from the field by making 19-of-56 field goals. UNK shot 39.2% from the floor by going 20-of-51. UNK was limited to 3-of-16 from three-point range, while Northwest made 4-of-17 from distance.
 
Kelsey Field grabbed a team-best eight rebounds. Bearcat freshman Peyton Kelderman was held without a made three-pointer for the first time this season.