FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University women's basketball team fell 78-70 in tough fashion to Harris-Stowe State University on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Owls (15-7; 10-6 AMC), were in hopes of finding its third straight American Midwest Conference (AMC) win, but came up short against the Hornets, which now puts WWU in the fourth seed of the conference, two games behind Freed-Hardeman University.
 
In the first quarter, it was a back and forth game, where the score was knotted up at four different occasions. After HSSU, Dynesha Powell tied the game up at 11-11 at the 2:22 mark, the Owls found its rhythm offensively. Kelsey Scherder would give the team a boast of energy by nailing a three pointer to put the Owls up 14-11. WWU would  then end the first quarter gaining a 20-15 lead over the Hornets.
 
At the 7:07 minute mark in the second quarter, HSSU Monae Riley converted inside the paint to make the score 25-25, tying the game up for the sixth time. Then the Hornets would put together a 8-1 run, capped off my an Angela Randall basket, giving HSSU the 37-29 lead.
 
However, the Owls responded by ending the second quarter on a 9-1 of their own, after April Gebke force a Hornet turnover and went all the way to basket to score right before the buzzer at the half, getting within one (39-38) of HSSU.
 
Both teams' shot impressively well in the first half, as WWU connected on 42.4 percent of their shots from the floor, while HSSU ended the first fame shooting 43.8 percent from the field.
 
During the break, William Woods University honored its three 2016 Hall of Fame inductees, that were formally inducted into the WWU Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday morning in front of WWU student-athletes, coaches, families and friends. Then received a rousing applause from the WWU fans inside Anderson Arena.
 
Colleen Dailey (Women's Soccer and Softball), former WWU Athletic Director Larry York and Dana and Sue Anderson (Contributors). The three individuals were very deserving of being the fourth class inducted into the Hall of Fame, which is filled with prestigious honorees already.
 
They will now join last year's class, which consisted of Ashley Morgan (women's soccer), Saysha Sappenfield-Nevins (softball) and Tracy Gastineau (softball).
 
Coming out of the break, the Hornets would extend its lead out to six points at the 4:14 mark, after a Riley two point basket, making the score 49-43.
 
At the 2:20 mark, Scherder found a open Kendra Vernatti in the corner, who would sink her second three of the game and cut HSSU lead down to two, at 52-50. As both team's defensive play stayed relentless down the stretch of the third quarter, HSSU maintained a three-point lead, 57-54 as we were heading into the final quarter of regulation inside Anderson Arena.
 
In the fourth quarter William Woods continued to battle, as April Gebke's two basket at the 7:21 mark, narrowed the deficit down to three points, at 61-58. The Hornets were able to break away from the charging Owls, as they extended its lead back out to 68-60, after a Khaliliah Morrow basket.
 
Despite the valiant effort from WWU, the Hornets were able to fend off William Woods in the final minutes of play and went on for the eight-point victory.
 
The Owls ended the night shooting 35.4 percent from the floor, 30.4 percent from the three-point line and were 17-of-23 from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, HSSU shot 44.3 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
 
WWU had four players reach double figures, as Nia Lateju led the way with14 points and Gebke came in right behind Lateju, posting 13 points and four assists on the night. Vernatti chipped in 11 points , shooting 4-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-3 from downtown, while Webb added 10 points. Kennedy Volkart merrily missed a double-double performance with her nine points and team-high 10 boards.
 
The team returns back on the court next Thursday, as the Owls travel to Hannibal-LaGrange University for a 5:30 p.m. start time.

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