Double Overtime Loss for Lady Hornets against Neb.-Kearney

January 11, 2025-The Lady Hornets went to double overtime for the first time since 2021 in a 79-68 loss to Neb.-Kearney on Saturday night in White Auditorium.
 
Emporia State took a 15-8 lead on Gracie Gilpin's three-pointer with 12 seconds left in the first quarter. The Lopers used a 9-2 run to tie the game at 17 with 6:58 left in the half. The Lady Hornets answered with a 9-0 run to take their biggest lead at 26-17 on a Macey Gandee lay-up with 3:45 remaining in the half. It would be the last score for ESU in the half. UNK would score just five points in that time as the Lady Hornets led 26-22 at the break.
 
The Lopers extended their run to 18-4 over the first 5:13 of the third quarter to go up 35-30. Three-pointers by Gilpin and Elizabeth Tjaden around a jumper from Janiyah Alverez gave the Lady Hornets an 8-3 run and tied the game at 38 with 2:46 left in the quarter. Emporia State would take a 41-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
Neither team took more than a four point lead in the fourth quarter a Meg Burns three-pointer gave Neb.-Kearney a 58-54 lead with 1:58 left in regulation.  Katie Horyna scored inside with 54 seconds left to get Emporia State within two points and on the Lopers possession Horyna got a steal with 32 seconds left. After a Lady Hornet timeout Allie Ostermann found Horyna for the game tying layup with 20.1 seconds left. Saniya Simmons shot at the buzzer was off for the Lopers and the teams went to overtime tied at 58.
 
The Lopers got a three-pointer from Samantha Moore to open the first overtime but ESU scored the next four points on an Alvarez jumper and two Gilpin free throw to go up 62-61 with 2:38 left. Bailee Sobczak hit two free throws with 1:48 left to put UNK up 64-63.  Tjaden got a steal with 27.5 seconds left and hit one of two free throws to send the game to a second overtime.
 
Neb.-Kearney scored the first ten points of the second overtime capped by a five point possession with 3:27 left. Burns hit a three-pointer and Ostermann was called for a foul trying to get through a screen and Sobczak hit both free throws to give UNK a 74-64 lead. The Lopers hit five of six free throws in the final 2:23 on the way to the final score of 79-68.
 
Gracie Gilpin led Emporia State with 19 points, going five of nine fromt eh three points line.  Katie Horyna had 15 points and five assists while Elizabeth Tjaden scored ten to join them in double figures.  Janiyah Alvarez and Jayla Cornelius each scored eight points with Alvarez pulling down nine rebounds.
 
Emporia State will be back in action on Wednesday, January 15 when they travel to Washburn.  Tip-off from Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan. is set for 5:30 p.m.