Hillsboro, Kan. – The Tabor College women's basketball team earned its first KCAC victory of the season and snapped a seven-game losing streak in the process as they earned a split this past week in league play.

On Thursday the Lady Jays downed the Swedes of Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kan. before falling just short to rival Bethel College Saturday evening in Hillsboro, Kan.

Against Bethany, The Lady Jays rode a strong first half of play to its first conference victory of the season as they defeated host Bethany College by the score of 61-49.

Tabor, which had struggled to find its offensive rhythm, had no problems putting points on the board throughout the game scoring at least 30 points in each half en route to the victory. The Lady Jays also used a strong defensive effort to hold Bethany to under 50 points for the game including just 19 in the first half to help build an 11-point lead heading into the break.

The lead would grow to as many as 15 points in the second half for Tabor as the Lady Jays controlled play throughout the half on their way to the 12-point victory.

Tabor's strong defensive effort held the Swedes to 24.1 percent shooting from the field and 18.2 percent from long distance for the game.

Sophomore Hannah Paust, despite 1-5 shooting from the field, led all Lady Jays scorers on the night with 11 points as she knocked down 9-10 attempts from the free throw line in the game. Freshman Becky Bryan also reached double figures in the game with 10 points, while junior Whitney Frise added nine points and junior Tynan Honn chipped in with eight points.

Tabor finished the game shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from behind the arc, while dishing out eight assists and committing 11 turnovers on the night. Junior Tamara Lio led the way with four assists in the game. The Lady Jays also won the battle on the glass by ten at 48-38 as junior Katlyn Mary led the way with nine rebounds.

Against Bethel, a back and fourth game left the Lady Jays five points short of its second victory of the week as Tabor fell to the Threshers, by the score of 68-63.

Tabor picked up right where it left off Thursday night as they led by as many as nine at 14-5 early on in the first half. The Lady Jays would continue to control play and lead for much of the half before Bethel rallied late to sneak into halftime with a one point lead at 34-33.

The nip and tuck contest would continue in the second half as the two teams combined for nine ties and eight lead changes in the period. Tabor's last lead would come with 1:28 left in the game as Paust knocked down two free throws to put the Lady Jays up one at 59-58. Bethel would answer back with a 12-1 run over the next 1:20 to open and eight point and secure the victory. Frise would hit a three with four seconds left in the game but that's as close as Tabor would get.

Mary led all scorers in the game with 16 points, while Frise added 12 points and fellow junior Molly Dick chipped in with 10 points. Honn led the effort on the glass with nine rebounds as Tabor one the battle on the glass by four at 40-36.

Tabor finished the game shooting 35.8 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from behind the arc, while dishing out 10 assists and committing 22 turnovers on the night. Mary led the way with six assists in the game.

Tabor (1-5 KCAC, 3-13 Overall) will host Friends University Thursday January 12. The junior varsity game is set for 2 p.m. with the varsity game to follow at 6 p.m. from Hillsboro, Kan.