The Hesston College women’s basketball team traveled to Missouri to face Central Christian College of the Bible on Friday, Nov. 7, and Hannibal-LaGrange University on Saturday, Nov. 8.
Game 1: Hesston 79, Central Chrsitian College of the Bible 54
MOBERLY, Mo. – Hesston opened the game with strong interior play and defensive energy, holding CCCB without a field goal for the first several minutes while building an early lead. Anna McIntire powered the opening stretch, scoring inside off an offensive rebound and adding another finish moments later to give the Larks momentum. A kick-out three from Sara Beltran and a corner three from Brooke Bettis helped push the advantage to 14–3 midway through the period. Hesston’s defensive pressure forced turnovers and limited the Saints’ second chances, allowing the Larks to carry a 19–11 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Larks continued to find rhythm in the second frame. Keira Pineda knocked down a three early in the quarter, and Mia Brown converted at the line to extend the margin. Gresa Arapi provided a spark off the bench, hitting three shots from beyond the arc on her way to a 13-point outing, helping Hesston outscore CCCB 22–18 in the quarter and take a 41–29 lead into halftime.
Out of the break, Hesston continued to control the paint and the glass. McIntire and Mia Curtis battled on the boards, with both players finishing with eight rebounds to anchor the interior. Despite a brief push from the Saints early in the third quarter, Hesston responded with poise. Bettis’s defensive presence was key in halting runs, as she came up with four steals while also adding 9 points and 3 assists to pace the perimeter play. The Larks maintained a double-digit lead heading into the final period, up 55–39.
Hesston saved its strongest offensive quarter for last. The Larks scored 24 points in the fourth, using quick ball movement and timely finishes to put the game out of reach. Curtis added 7 points and secured eight rebounds, helping Hesston continue to dominate the rebounding margin 45–27 for the game. Jenna Avery contributed eight points and a blocked shot, while Emma Pfannenstiel added four points and steady minutes off the bench. The depth was notable, as Hesston’s bench accounted for 40 of the team’s 79 points.
The Larks shot 44% from the field and connected on eight three-pointers while holding CCCB to just 16 made field goals on the night. Hesston also converted defensive pressure into offense, scoring 13 points off turnovers and controlling the tempo throughout.
Game 2: Hesston 64, Hannibal-LaGrange University 61
HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hesston College women’s basketball team battled through a tight back-and-forth matchup on the road Saturday, earning a hard-fought 64–61 overtime victory over Hannibal-LaGrange. The Larks leaned on timely three-point shooting, steady free-throw execution late, and several standout individual performances to secure the win.
Hesston and Hannibal-LaGrange traded momentum early, with the Trojans taking a 17–12 lead after the first quarter and maintaining a narrow 30–25 advantage at halftime. The Larks found their rhythm from beyond the arc in the third, knocking down key threes to outscore the Trojans 19–12 and take a 44–42 lead into the fourth. Both teams tightened defensively down the stretch, with the game tied at 53–53 at the end of regulation to force overtime.
In the extra period, Mariah Hall stepped up at the free-throw line, converting six of her nine made free throws in the game’s final minutes to help close out the win. Hall finished with 13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, providing steady presence on both ends. Sarah Beltran led Hesston offensively with 14 points, knocking down four three-pointers to spark the Larks in key scoring stretches.
Keira Pineda added 9 points and 4 assists, while Jenna Avery came off the bench to score 9 points on three made threes, providing crucial perimeter firepower. Brooke Bettis and Mia Brown chipped in additional scoring and defensive effort, and the Hesston bench contributed 29 total points, a major factor in the outcome.
Hannibal-LaGrange was led by Ainsley Diepenbrock with 24 points and Ivy Lesley, who recorded a 21-point, 10-rebound double-double. However, Hesston’s late-game composure and defensive rebounding in overtime helped seal the win.
As a team, the Larks finished with 10 made three-pointers and shot 77% from the free-throw line (14-of-18), including a decisive 6-for-6 stretch in the overtime period.
With the victory, Hesston improves to 2–5 on the season and builds momentum heading into the upcoming stretch of non-conference play.
The next game for the Larks will be on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at York University.
