Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia College women's basketball team fell to Viterbo University 55-51 on Sunday at the Arena of Southwell Complex in a game that featured nine ties and 13 lead changes.
Columbia led 50-49 with 1:38 remaining, but the V-Hawks closed the game on a 6-1 run. Viterbo improved to 3-3, while Columbia fell to 2-3.
Ashtyn Klusmeyer scored a game-high 18 points, and
Sam Schmuke added a career-best 16 points in 17 minutes off the bench. The Cougars shot 31.6 percent (18-of-57) from the field, including 5-of-23 from 3-point range.
Viterbo led 8-5 after a low-scoring first quarter that saw the teams combine to miss 17 consecutive shots. The Cougars shot 2-of-16 (12.5 percent) from the field and went scoreless over the final 7:53 of the quarter.
Columbia made its first two shots of the second quarter, and Schmuke's layup gave the Cougars an 11-9 lead with 8:48 left in the half.
Viterbo led 19-18 at halftime despite shooting 18.2 percent (6-of-33) from the field and 1-of-11 from 3-point range.
Macie Harman led Columbia with five first-half points.
Klusmeyer knocked down her first three-pointer and
Lauren Friedrich followed with a layup to give Columbia a 23-19 lead early in the third quarter. Klusmeyer and Schmuke combined for the Cougars' final 14 points of the quarter, sending Columbia into the fourth with a 37-36 lead. Schmuke scored nine points in the third, while Klusmeyer added eight.
Viterbo opened the fourth quarter by scoring the first seven points to take its largest lead at 43-37 with 8:03 to play. Columbia responded with a 6-0 run to tie the score at 43-43, and then Harman's three pointer gave the Cougars a 50-49 lead with 1:38 left.
Carly Drew led the V-Hawks with 11 points while Kira John added 10 points and seven rebounds. Viterbo connected on 15-of-15 free-throws in the win and had an 18-9 advantage in second-chance points.
The Cougars have four days off before opening the CofO Tournament on Friday, November 13 against John Brown University. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. in Point Lookout, Mo.
NOTES: This was the first meeting in school history between the two teams …
Lauren Friedrich added a game-high 10 rebounds for Columbia.
