WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Rogers State women's basketball fell on the road Saturday to the No. 22 Central Missouri Jennies in MIAA play at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
 
The Hillcats (3-8, 3-8 MIAA) challenged the top-25 ranked Jennies (10-2, 10-2 MIAA) early and into the second quarter but could not overcome a surge late in the first half from the hosts.
 
How It Happened: The Hillcats were able to score the first baskets of the game to take an early 4-0 lead over the Jennies and start an early 6-2 run.
 
Throughout the first quarter, the Hillcats and the Jennies traded leads. Both teams were able to shoot the ball well, as the Hillcats shot 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from the field. The Jennies shot 8-for-16 (50 percent) from the field and went into the second quarter with a 21-20 advantage over the Hillcats.
 
The Hillcats regained the lead early in the second quarter after freshmen Kloe Bowin got the scoring going for the Hillcats in the second frame.
 
However, the Jennies were able to gain late momentum at the tail end of the first half and led the Hillcats by as many as eight points, using a 9-0 run to end the half. The Hillcats would trail the Jennies 33-41 going into the locker room.
 
Thompson was able to cut the deficit to seven after making a free-throw at the 8:16 mark in the third quarter, and sophomore Alyche Brown was able to cut the lead again to seven after making a three-point field goal at the 2:07.
 
However, the Jennies were able to hit 50 percent of their three-point shots and led the Hillcats by as many as 12 points in the third quarter. The Hillcats trailed the Jennies 50-61, as the teams headed to the final quarter.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Jennies went of a 9-2 run and extended their lead to 20 with 3:54 left in the contest.
 
Key Statistic: The Central Missouri bench was able to outperform the Hillcat, as they outscored the Rogers State 46-12 in bench points.
 
After hitting two of its first five attempts, Rogers State finished 3-for-17 from the three-point line (17.6 percent), while Central Missouri was 9-for-19 (47.4 percent) from behind the three-point line.
 
Players of Note: Samariah Thompson led the Hillcats in scoring for the seventh time this season, finishing with 11 points. She also recorded four assists, three rebounds, and a steal.
 
Junior Vanessa Gajdosova was the only other Hillcat in double figures, as she finished with 10 points. She also had seven rebounds, three steals, and an assist.
 
Sophomore Bailey Kliewer finished with nine points. She also recorded six rebounds, three steals, and a block.
Senior Lilly Garner finished with nine points and two steals.
 
Bowin finished with eight points. She also recorded three rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.

Notables: The loss for the Hillcats snaps a two-game win streak for Rogers State.

Rogers State had a season high 12 steals in the game. It is the most steals for the Hillcats since having 13 at Southern Arkansas in December of 2019.
 
Up Next: Rogers State returns home on Monday for the first of three straight games at the Claremore Expo Center next week. The Hillcats start the week with a makeup of a previously postponed game with Newman. The Hillcats and Jets will tip off a 5:30 p.m.