Top Ten Win For Lady Hornets 75-66 Over #9 Northwest Missouri

December 5, 2024-The Lady Hornets got 23 points from Katie Horyna as they picked up their first win over a top ten team since 2019 with a 75-66 victory over #9 Northwest Missouri.
 
Emporia State scored the first five points of the game and never trailed in the contest.  They scored the final nine points of the first quarter to take a 21-9 lead into the second.
 
The Bearcats closed to within five points at 24-19 with 5:12 left in the second period. The Lady Hornets then got scores from five different players during a period ending 12-2 run as they took a 36-21 lead into the break.
 
Emporia State shot 53.6% from the field while holding Northwest to just 32% in the opening twenty minutes.
 
The Lady Hornets took advantage of a technical foul on Molly Hartnett to have a five point possession with 7:15 left in the third quarter. Gracie Gilpin hit a three-pointer after hitting one of two free throws to give Emporia State a 47-27 lead.  After the Lady Hornets took a 60-39 lead with 1:38 left in the quarter, the Bearcats scored the final six points to close to within 60-45 headed into the fourth.
 
Northwest would score the first five points of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 60-50.  Horyna scored inside to break the Bearcats run at 11-0.  After the Bearcats closed to with in 62-53 on a Kelsey Field free throw with 6:45 left, the Lady Hornets answered with an 8-0 run of their own to go up 70-53 with 5:27 left in the game.  Northwest responded with an 8-0 run of their own to get within 70-61 with 2:00 remaining.  Emporia State would hit three of four free throws in the final 1:34 to preserve the 75-66 win.
 
Katie Horyna scored 23 points with seven assists while Gracie Gilpin added 20 points, going five of six from beyond the three-point line. Makenzie McDaniel recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Emporia State will be back in action on Saturday, December 7 when they travel to Missouri Western.  Tip-off from the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph, Mo. is set for 5:30 p.m.
 
NOTES:
The win was the first win over a Top 10 team by the Lady Hornets since they defeated then #5 Fort Hays State 73-69 on December 7, 2019.