News Release

Belton, Tx.; — The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women’s basketball team could not overcome an ice-cold first-half and the Lady Crusaders furious second-half comeback fell short in a 74-65 loss to Menlo College Sunday afternoon in Belton. The loss drops the UMHB women to 3-2 on the season and snaps a three-game winning streak. The Oaks improve to 4-1 on the year with the victory.
The UMHB women hit just three of their first 23 shots from the field in the first half and fell behind 34-9. Julie Amabile finally snapped an eight-minute UMHB scoring drought with a three-pointer at the 3:52 mark. Amabile promptly scored 10 straight points to pull the Lady Crusaders to within 34-21 with 31 seconds left. The Oaks then stretched the second-half lead back to 17 points at 45-28 with 15:41 remaining in the game. UMHB battled back to cut the lead to six on Jessica Kelly’s lay-up with 2:52 left in the game. The Oaks pushed the lead back to 11 on a three-pointer and a pair of free throws and the Lady Crusaders would not get closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Amabile led UMHB with 21 points and Shannon Barnes added 10 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. The UMHB women shot just 27 per cent from the field and 19 per cent from three-point range in the game. The Oaks were led by Kepua Lee’s 25 points and 17 rebounds. Emily Zygmontowicz added 14 points and nine rebounds before fouling out and Sonet Yee also reached double figures with 13 points. Menlo shot 34 per cent from the field and 47 per cent from three-point range in the victory.
The Lady Crusaders will return to American Southwest Conference play with a home game Tuesday night. The UMHB women will host U.T.-Dallas for a 5:30 PM tip-off in the opener of a women’s-men’s doubleheader.