By Nathan Howard
HILLSBORO, Kan. (TaborBluejays.com) – Tuesday evening’s matchup between the Tabor Lady Bluejays and the Baker Wildcats brought a similar level of excitement as in last Friday’s season opener with MidAmerica Nazarene, as Tabor College Gymnasium was rocking with students and fans alike.
Liana McGonigle put TC on the scoreboard first in Set One with a kill assisted by Mia Maly. The Wildcats answered and both squads took turns scoring, before a Baker scoring run put the Bluejays in a five-point hole, 17-12. Tabor pulled back within two, courtesy of a kill by McGonigle, followed by a Baker point by way of a Bluejay attack error. Once again, the Lady Bluejays cut the deficit back to two points, 18-16, thanks to a kill by Juliana Alaniz, with Cocone Matsuzawa on the assist. For every Bluejay point, it seemed like the Wildcats always answered with multiple points, halting TC from making a comeback in the first set.
Just like the first set, Tabor jumped on the board first, this time scoring the first two points of the set, with a Wildcat attack error and a Sammie Saunders kill giving the Bluejays the brief advantage. Set Two never saw either team take more than a three-point lead, providing a highly exciting and competitive display with TC just narrowly falling, 25-23.
It was the Wildcats’ turn to score first in Set Three, as the first two points of the set went their way. A kill by Josephine Fuamatu gave the Bluejays their answer, followed by a Baker attack error and a kill by Alaniz. A familiar pattern from the sets prior began to take shape, with both squads exchanging points, knotting the score at five apiece. A Saunders kill ignited an explosive 11-point TC scoring run, giving the Bluejays a monumental 11-point lead, 16-5. The Wildcats attempted to claw back into the set, but Tabor stifled their hopes, taking Set Three by a score of 25-16.
Set Four seemed to be the inverse of what took place in the third set, with BU taking a 16-8 lead at one point, before the Lady Bluejays came rolling back, tying things at 23 thanks to a Wildcat attack error. Tabor tied things up not once more but twice, with another Saunders kill tying the set at 24 and a kill by Alaniz tying it once more at 25. The Bluejays couldn’t find an answer to keep the set alive, following the point that tied the set at 25 and dropped Set Four, 27-25.
Tabor dropped the matched, 3-1, falling to 2-9 on the season.
The Lady Bluejays hit the hardwood again next Wednesday (September 18th) as they travel east to Fayette, Mo. for the Central Methodist Triangular, taking on the hosting Eagles at 3pm and taking on Hannibal-LaGrange at 5pm.
Be sure to stay up to date with all information regarding Bluejay Athletics by following us on X at @gotaborbluejays, on Instagram and Facebook @taborbluejays, and on our official athletic website, taborbluejays.com.
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
