Central Missouri shot 33.3 percent from the floor from the game, but also held the Lady Hornet offense to 37.3 from the field. Shelby Winkelmann and Ashley Jones led the offense with 15 points each. Jones scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half while Winkelmann put up nine in the first.

Jones also led the team with nine rebounds, just a board shy of her third double-double of the season and blocked a season-high three shots. Ashley Duffy was also in double-figures with 10 points and dished out a team-best three assists.

ESU led by as many as nine, 16-7 with just over one minute remaining in the first period.  The Jennies fought back with a 14-4 run, capped by a Jones layup to give UCM their first lead, 21-20.

With three minutes left in the half, the game was still tied, 26-26, but an 8-0 run to close the half sent the Lady Hornets into the locker room up eight, 34-26.

A three-pointer put ESU up 10 early in the second half, but a late run and a layup from Winkelmann with four seconds in the period tied the game 43-43 with 10 minutes to play.

Emporia State hit back-to-back triples to start the fourth period and was able to pull away from the Jens, scoring 28 in the final frame and surviving the Jennies threat with a 71-55 win.

Emporia State was led by Kelsey Barnwell and Sandra Ngoie who both scored 18. Addie Lackey scored 16 for the Lady Hornets. Ngoie finished with a double-double with 10 rebounds and Kathryn Flott secured a game-high 13 caroms.

The Jennies are back at home Thursday as they continue MIAA play. The task doesn’t get any easier as they welcome No. 1 Fort Hays State to the Multi Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m.