HAYS, Kan. — The No. 8-ranked Washburn Lady Blues won their 14th straight game over Fort Hays State with a 57-47 win over the Tigers at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Washburn (11-0, 5-0 MIAA) will continue their three-game road streak at Central Missouri on Saturday in Warrensburg.

Washburn opened the second half on a 16-2 run over the first 6:15 of the period building a 38-23 lead over Fort Hays State (9-2, 2-2 MIAA). However after Dayna Rodriguez’s 3-pointer which put Washburn up 38-23, the Lady Blues would not hit their next field goal until 6:14 was remaining in the game when Amanda Fessenden connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the key putting Washburn back up by eight at 47-39 stopping a streak of eight straight points by Fort Hays’ Naomi Bancroft. During the field goal dryspell for the Lady Blues, they did connect on 6 of 6 free throw attempts.

In the first half, neither team led by more than five with Washburn leading by that margin on two different occassions with the last coming at 2:50 remaining in the period. Washburn took a 1-point 22-21 lead into the locker room. Each team hit only nine field goals in the first half, with the Tigers hitting 3 of 8 3-point attempts with two coming from Bancroft. Fessenden hit two from 3-point range in the first half as well. The teams combined for 18 of 45 shooting from the field and 18 turnovers.

Hope Gregory, Rose Hammond and Fessenden each had 12 points to pace the Lady Blues attack. Rodriguez had nine points and Brette Ulsaker had eight. Gregory just missed a double doulbe recording a game-high nine rebounds.

Bancroft finished with 21 points on 7 of 19 shooting including 5 of 16 from 3-point range to lead the Tigers. Erica Biel reached double digits with 10 points.

The Lady Blues were held to 36 percent shooting for the game hitting 19 of 52 attempts while the Washburn defense limited the Tigers to 16 of 49 from the field for a 33 percent clip.

Washburn held a 38 to 31 advantage on the glass recording 11 offensive rebounds. The Tigers had only four offensive rebounds. Washburn also outran the Tigers 12-0 in fast break points while outscoring the Tigers in the paint 24 to 14.