Eagles Break Even in Final Home Games of the Season

By Jon Crossman

ANKENY, Iowa – The Faith ladies closed out their home schedule in Nettleton with a 3-5 record, splitting games this weekend against two strong conference challengers. The Eagles won their first game of the season on home ground, so it's only fitting they found victory again in their final bout before the home crowd. Faith faces just one more conference opponent in the seeding process before going through the gauntlet of the MCCC Conference Tournament in Moberly, Missouri.

The weekend was full of heroics and heartbreak, with the #4 ranked Ozark Ambassadors posing the greatest challenge for the Eagles. Just two Eagles found the net in the first quarter, resulting in the lowest scoring quarter of the entire season. Faith was outscored by 13 points at the end of the first half against the Ambassadors, digging a deep hole for the Eagles going into the next half. Rachel Kleczka proved her grit before the Faith family once again, outrebounding all players with 13 rebounds and putting up 14 points from under the basket. Makenna Laib and Mary Yarnell each pitched in seven points of their own, with Yarnell contributing seven rebounds of her own as well. The Ozark defense proved to be too tight for the Eagles to break through on passes, producing 26 Eagle turnovers and 33 points scored off of said turnovers.

After a battering from the Ambassadors, Faith found some refuge in a foe they faced from earlier in the season. A game at Calvary University had resulted in a 65-47 victory for the Eagles, and Coach Monty Kauffman knew enough from that game to read the Calvary tactics, and put on a defensive showdown this time around. The Eagles had a more patient game, keeping personal fouls to a minimum (12 personal fouls overall) and letting the ball do the work up around the key to create the proper scoring opportunities. Rachel Kleczka capitalized yet again in another spectacular performance, using isolation plays to dominate in the paint with 20 points and a staggering 20 rebounds. The true test came after the halftime break, where teams can fall apart with a lack of focus from the brief break in play. Faith had no such plans to let up however, blockading any comeback chance from the Warriors and allowing just five points in the third quarter. Makenna Laib sunk the final dagger for the Eagles, winning the day at home 53-44.

The Eagles head to Wisconsin for their next challenge, facing the Sabercats of Maranatha Baptist University in a rivalry as old as time. The game takes place on Tuesday, February 8, starting at 2:00 p.m.