YORK, Neb. – Hesston College women’s basketball fell on the road Wednesday night, dropping a 95–52 decision to York University inside the Freeman Center. The Panthers set the tone early with a 29-point opening quarter and sustained their pace throughout, while the Larks battled to find rhythm on both ends. Mariah Hall posted a double-double to lead Hesston, finishing with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Brooke Bettis added 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, knocking down three three-pointers, and Mia Brown chipped in six points, four rebounds and two assists.
York opened the game on a 6–0 run and capitalized on early Hesston turnovers to build a double-digit lead midway through the first quarter. The Panthers’ pressure resulted in 17 first-half steals and frequent fast-break opportunities, pushing their advantage to 44–25 at halftime. The Larks responded with improved rebounding and interior play out of the break—Hall grabbed seven boards in the first quarter alone and stayed active throughout—but York continued to convert in the paint, finishing with 54 points inside.
In the second half, Hesston found stretches of momentum behind Bettis, Hall and Anna McIntire, who scored eight points on efficient 4-for-5 shooting before fouling out. Keira Pineda added two steals and a block while facilitating the offense for 30 minutes, and Jenna Avery provided four points off the bench. Despite the Larks’ effort on the glass—pulling down 40 total rebounds—York’s balanced scoring and 49.3 percent shooting from the field proved too much to overcome.
The Larks will be back at home on Friday (Nov. 14) to host Central Christian College at 7 p.m.
