Hillsboro, Kan. – The Tabor College women's basketball team could not overcome offensive struggles as the Lady Jays, despite solid defensive efforts, dropped both games this week in KCAC play. On Thursday Tabor fell at home to nationally ranked Friends University, and on Saturday the Lady Jays fell on the road to Sterling College.

Against Friends, the Lady Jays put together another impressive defensive effort but struggled to find an offensive rhythm of their own, falling to the Falcons by the score of 61-52.

Tabor held the high-powered Falcons to 35 percent shooting from the field and just 15 percent shooting from behind the arc while forcing the Falcons into 26 turnovers for the game.

The offensive struggles also plagued the Lady Jays on the night as they shot 33 percent from the field and 9 percent from behind the arc knocking down just 1-11 attempts from long distance. Turnovers also handicapped Tabor's offense as well as the Lady Jays committed 29 turnovers to just seven assists on the night.

Tied at 19-all with 5:09 left to play in the first half the Falcons used a 15-2 run over the next four minutes to open up its largest lead of the half at 34-21. Tabor would end the half on a free throw by junior Katlyn Mary to cut the lead down to 12 at 36-24 heading into the break.

In the second half Friends would continue to extend its lead to as many as 18 points before the Lady Jays rallied to pull within eight with a minute left to play. Tabor could get no closer than the eight-point deficit as Friends remained unbeaten in KCAC play.

Junior Molly Dick sparked Tabor's offensive attack with a team-high 18 points on 9-15 shooting to go along with five rebounds and four steals on the night. Sophomore Hannah Paust also gave the Lady Jays an impressive performance registering a double-double in the game with 16 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. The strong night on the glass helped Tabor win the rebounding battle by nine at 44-35.

Against Sterling on the road Saturday night, the Lady Jays could not overcome a nearly ten minute scoring drought as Tabor fell to Sterling College by the score of 60-40.

Former Sterling College assistant Shawn Reed made his return to Sterling College and got his Lady Jays off to a fast start, as Tabor built an early, seven-point lead with under seven minutes gone by in the first half.

Sterling would respond and close the half on a 21-2 run to reclaim the lead heading into the halftime break. The run was helped by a Tabor scoring drought as the Lady Jays were held without a basket for the final 9:49 of the first half. Tabor would go into halftime trailing by 14 at 29-15.

Tabor's offense struggles would continue in the second half as Sterling kept the Lady Jays offense in check before earning its fourth KCAC victory of the season.

Offensively Tabor was led by Mary and Paust as they each tallied 12 points on the night. Mary also led the Lady Jays on the glass with six rebounds. Tabor lost the rebounding battle by seven at 34-27.

The Lady Jays finished the game shooting 30 percent from the field and 31 percent from behind the arc, while dishing out seven assists to 19 turnovers for the game.

Tabor (1-6 KCAC, 3-14 Overall) will travel to Leavenworth, Kan. to take on the University of St. Mary to close out the first round of conference play Wednesday Jan. 18, with tipoff set for 6 p.m.