HESSTON, Kan. — The Hesston College women's basketball team came up just short on the road Tuesday night, falling to McPherson College 81–79 in a tightly contested matchup that featured five ties and multiple lead changes throughout the game .

Hesston came out strong with a 24-point first quarter, fueled by early three-pointers and active defense. The teams traded baskets for much of the first half, with the Larks taking a narrow 43–41 lead into the break. In the third quarter, Hesston continued to battle, attacking the glass and scoring 20 points in the frame, but McPherson responded with strong play down the stretch to edge ahead late .

Keira Pineda led the Larks with an outstanding shooting performance, scoring a game-high 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, while also grabbing six rebounds . Brooke Bettis added 17 points, hitting three three-pointers and contributing five rebounds and three assists. Akiva Brown nearly recorded a double-double with 14 points, nine rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, giving Hesston a strong presence on both ends of the floor . Anna McIntire came up big in the fourth quarter and finished with seven points and nine rebounds, while Mariah Hall added eight points and four boards off the bench .

As a team, the Larks shot 39% from the field and 38% from three, outrebounded McPherson 51–50, and tallied 29 second-chance points thanks to strong work on the offensive glass . Despite the strong effort, McPherson made timely free throws and late baskets to pull ahead in the final minutes.