FORT SMITH, Ark. – Senior forward Ellie Lehne scored a team-high 14 points to lead the UAFS Lady Lions during a tough 86-46 loss to Heartland Conference co-leader Lubbock Christian on Saturday afternoon at the Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock, Texas.
Lubbock Christian (14-4, 4-0) won its seventh game in a row and its 59th-consecutive home game and improved to 45-0 all-time in conference home wins. The Chaps are tied with the Newman Jets (12-5, 3-0) for first place.
UAFS (5-12, 2-2) is one of three teams that are two games behind the co-leaders.
It was the third-consecutive game for Lehne to lead the Lady Lions in scoring and the fifth time overall. She was 6-of-13 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 shooting from the free-throw line. Lehne also had five rebounds, one assist and two steals.
UAFS shot 32 percent from the field (16 of 50) – it was 4-of-9 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 77 percent from the free-throw line (10 of 13). The Lady Lions, however, committed 19 turnovers that led to 29 points for the Lady Chaps.
Junior guard Alexsis Brown had a team-high six rebounds, but UAFS was out-rebounded by 14 rebounds (34-20). The Lady Lions allowed nine offensive rebounds that led to 15 second-chance points for the Lady Chaps.
Lubbock Christian shot 54 percent from the field (33 of 61) – it was 10-of-23 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 71 percent from the free-throw line (10 of 14). Maddie Chitsey led the Lady Chaps with 15 points, while Ashton Duncan and Bobbi Chitsey had 12 points apiece and Madelyn Turner had 10 points.
Maddie Chitsey just missed a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds, and also had a team-high five assists and three blocked shots.
UAFS will return to conference play at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday when the Lady Lions play the Texas A&M International Dustdevils at 5:30 p.m. at the Kinesiology and Convocation Center in Larado, Texas.
WOMEN
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN 86, UAFS 46
UAFS 9 8 16 13 — 46
Lubbock Christian 16 21 23 26 — 86
UAFS (5-12, 2-2): Lehne 14, A. Brown 7, D. Brown 7, Terry 6, Bonham 5, Elkins 4, Green 3
Lubbock Christian (14-4, 4-0): M. Chitsey 15, B. Chitsey 12, Duncan 12, Turner 10, Middleton 8, Schulte 7, Robertson 6, Burr 5, Stevenson 4, Robertson 3, Cunyus 2, Davis 2
