SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. - The Rogers State Women's Basketball team fell to Missouri Western State 76-61 on the road in the first game of the New Year.
 
In the loss, freshman Bailey Kliewer led the Hillcats and all scorers in the game with 21 points, which is a career high for the Harrisonville, Missouri native, breaking her previous best of 14 done twice this season. Kliewer also had six rebounds in the game.
 
The Hillcats were able to keep the game close until the last few minutes of the first quarter. Missouri Western would go on a 21-0 run over a 5:27 span in the end of the first and early part of the second quarter.
 
Coming out of the halftime break trailing 45-20, the Hillcats would score 28 points in the third quarter, the most points in a quarter by either team for the game. The Hillcats would outscore Missouri Western in the fourth quarter as well, going 41-31 in the second half, but it would not be enough to overcome the deficit.
 
Senior Alicia Brown and sophomore Vanessa Gajdosova would also finish in double figures for the Hillcats. Brown would finish with 18 points and six rebounds in the game. Gajdosova would finish with 13 points and would lead the Hillcats in rebounds with eight.
 
The Hillcats shot 38 percent from the field and 24 percent from the three-point line. Missouri Western would shoot 46 percent from the field and 28 percent from behind the arc.
 
Rogers State will remain on the road as they travel to Maryville, Missouri to take on Northwest Missouri State. The game is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip off on Monday, January 6.