Shepard and Kleczka Lift Eagles to Win over Union

The Faith Eagles women's basketball team played their best quarter of the season Monday night in a 27-point outburst against Union College, then held on tight for the win as the Warriors mounted a ferocious second-half comeback.

Faith trailed much of the first quarter but regained the lead with ten seconds to go after a Makenna Laib jumper. In the second quarter, the Eagles capitalized off of six offensive rebounds and five Union turnovers as part of their 27-point barrage. Most of the damage was done in the last four minutes of the half as the Eagles stretched a three point lead into a 44-27 lead by halftime. In that four-minute stretch alone, Faith freshman Rachel Kleczka dominated the basketball game with nine rebounds, four points, one steal, and one block. Kleczka finished the game with 13 points, 23 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

Union's comeback attempt was in full swing late in the third quarter as the Warriors cut the lead to five with 1:48 to play and fully regained the lead with 7:10 left in the fourth quarter. With the game on the line and the momentum full in Union's favor, Eagles junior Lyndi Shepard rose to the occasion, burying three monumental three-pointers in an 80-second stretch to essentially secure the win for Faith, 72-69. Shepard finished with 19 points for the game and was 5-of-11 from three-point range.

Rounding out the scoring for the Eagles were Michaela Crider with 16 points, Alicia Smith with 14 points, Makenna Laib with 9 points, and Aubree Smith with 1.

With the win, the Eagles improved to 5-14 overall, 1-5 in conference play. Faith travels to Haviland, Kansas, on Friday for a 6:00 p.m. tip against Barclay College.