Eagles Hold off Falcons in High Pressure Victory
By Jon Crossman
ANKENY, Iowa—It was another bold night for the Eagles as they fought off the surging Falcons of Kansas Christian College, outlasting the blow-for-blow play for a 68-62 victory.
The Eagles have been on an absolute tear lately, outlasting steely opponents. This win was just the latest in the five hard-earned wins they've picked up since resuming the season after Christmas break. Paired with the epic 17-point comeback just last weekend against Calvary, the Eagles have certainly branded themselves as contenders with a fighting spirit in the conference.
Both teams played with grit, keeping the largest lead on either side under double digits throughout the game. A perfect shooting performance from center Mary Yarnell started the Eagles in the right direction to start the game, with her six first quarter points giving them the boost they needed to keep things even at 14-14 heading into the next quarter. Some stalwart defense on the Faith perimeter kept the Falcons from gaining any traction off three-balls, allowing for some breathing room as time winded down in the first half thanks to a clutch and-one play by Tina Harms. The Eagles headed to the locker room with their work cut out for them, up just five points at 31-26.
The second half proved to be a high-strung challenge for both sides, with each team combining for a total of 30 turnovers in just 14 minutes of play. Offense waned in the front court early in the half for the Eagles, with just three successful baskets to answer an 11-point resurgence from the Falcons. Mikayla Jones set the course straight again with a pair of threes, holding on to a depleted three-point lead going into the final quarter. Faith finally found a scoring break in the final minutes of the game, unleashing for a 10-point blast in the last two and a half minutes. The top rebounder for the Falcons, Dana Wagnon, collected her fifth foul near the close of the final quarter, allowing for powerhouses like Rachel Kleczka and Tina Harms to swoop in for more offensive chances. Closing free throws from Makenna Laib and Grace Bolyard tightened the lid on the Eagles lead, securing victory 68-62.
With more tough games ahead on the slate, Coach Zak Kirkman had lots to say about the team mentality under pressure:
"We work a lot in practice on being tougher and celebrating making tough plays in practice. A lot of this we do through making our offense work in situations where they are at a disadvantage", Kirkman said. "Staying strong with the ball and being patient has been a top priority for us since coming back from Christmas break."
Patience has certainly been a winning virtue for the Eagles, which they will put into play again in a rematch against Barclay College, starting at 5:30 p.m. on January 20.
