Using double-doubles by Annie Noah and Kayley Frank, along with double figure scoring from Jordan Wersinger, the Lady Cats won their ninth straight game Wednesday on the road at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.

The Fighting Bees opened the scoring but a Taylor Rush three quickly provided the answer. Annie Noah put her first two points on the board on the next possession and the Lady Cats extended the early lead. The two teams traded baskets over the next several minutes with Susanna Moran, and Kayley Frank jumping into the scoring column. Leading 11-10 with 4:35 left in the opening quarter, The Lady Cat defense clamped down and held the Bees scoreless the rest of the way. Kayley Frank drained a deep three and drove for a layup to send the Lady Cats into the first quarter break, leading 16-10.

The Fighting Bees scored the first two baskets of the second quarter and the Lady Cat lead was cut to 16-14. Isabel Rohlfing scored inside at the 8:47 mark and the lead was extended again. Neither team would score for the next 2:03 and St. Ambrose was first to break the silence. The defense for both teams remained solid, and the Lady Cats were held scoreless until the 4:47 mark when Kayley Frank scored inside. The Lady Cat defense continued to hold their own and a pair of free throws was all the Fighting Bees could get on the board. Annie Noah scored, and Blythe Benefield drained a three to give the Lady Cats their biggest lead, 25-18, with 3:35 remaining in the half. St. Ambrose took a timeout and nailed a three out of the huddle to cut into the Lady Cat lead. Another Fighting Bees jumper cut the gap to 25-23 and Taylor Rush responded with a three to hold off the charge. A Jordan Wersinger basket extended the lead to 30-23 and that would be the score heading into the intermission.

Annie Noah and Kayley Frank teamed up to open the third quarter with a 7-0 Lady Cat run and built a 37-23 lead. A SAU timeout stopped the momentum and Anna Plumer put the Fighting Bees on the board. Noah, Wersinger and Rush continued the Lady Cat attack, and the Fighting Bees were unable to keep pace. With 3:23 remaining, Noah scored to give the Lady Cats their largest lead, 49-29. Another St. Ambrose timeout was not enough to slow the Lady Cat offense and Kayley Frank drove to the hole for two and the lead was 51-29. A pair of Fighting Bee buckets closed out the quarter and the game moved to the final 10:00 with the Lady Cats leading 51-33.

Frank drilled a three to open the final stanza and Jordan Wersinger scored and hit a three to extend the Lady Cat advantage. SAU was held scoreless until a free throw at the 6:18 mark broke through. The home team refused to go away and slowly began to chip away at the Lady Cat lead. Free throws by Frank and a Katie Mayes free throw kept the Fighting Bees in check, but the determination for a comeback was evident. St. Ambrose put together a 12-0 run before the Lady Cats answered with a Susanna Moran free throw. Blythe Benefield scored and hit a free throw to round out the Lady Cat scoring, but SAU continued to attack until the final buzzer. By the time the dust settled, the Lady Cats had held off the challenge of the fighting Bees and came home with the 66-55 win. 

Kayley Frank racked up 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Annie Noah poured in 14 points and controlled the glass with 20 rebounds. Jordan Wersinger tacked on 12 points and dished out seven assists. Taylor Rush chipped in nine points, Blythe Benefield added six, and Susanna Moran, Isabel Rohlfing, and Katie Mayes contributed three, two, and one points respectively.

The Lady Cats are back in action this Saturday, February 11 as part of a men’s and women’s double header at Baptist Bible College in Springfield. The Lady Cats tip off at 2:00 with the Bobcats to follow at 4:00.