The William Woods University Lady Owls had one impressive streak come to an end, and another is in serious jeopardy.
Cynthia Woodward delivered a career-high 23 points and connected on seven of Freed-Hardeman University's 12 3-pointers as the top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Lady Lions raced past No. 4 seed William Woods 70-53 on Friday night in the semifinals of the AMC postseason tournament.
The loss means that the Lady Owls (22-10) won't be playing for the American Midwest Conference tournament title for the first time in head coach Dan Chapla's six seasons with the team. Freed-Hardeman will host No. 2 seed Columbia College - tied for No. 11 in NAIA Division I - in the championship game Monday night. The Cougars advanced with an 83-66 victory over No. 3 seed Lyon (Ark.) College in Friday night's other semifinal.
William Woods has made five straight appearances in the national tournament, but that incredible run could also be coming to a close. The Lady Owls would appear to have an outside shot at an at-large bid when the tournament bracket is announced this week.
Track and field
William Woods' Stockton earns
All-American status again
GENEVA, Ohio - The Owls' Anthony Stockton took second place in the weight throw Friday to collect his fourth consecutive All-American honor in the event at the NAIA indoor track and field national championships.
Stockton - a fifth-year senior - barely missed out on his second national title in the weight throw. His personal-best toss of 66 feet, 8 3/4 inches fell just short of the winning throw of 67-0 by Concordia (Ore.) University's Darien Moore.
Baseball
William Woods 8 9
Hannibal-LaGrange 9 0
COLUMBIA - Senior designated hitter Matt Thomas doubled twice and drove in five runs as the Owls punished the Trojans in the second game of Friday's AMC doubleheader at Hickman High School.
William Woods University recovered and gained the split after Hannibal-LaGrange University stunned the Owls in the opener by rallying for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. William Woods - which also shut out the Trojans 11-0 in Thursday's series opener - improved to 12-2 overall and 2-1 in the American Midwest Conference.
"I was really pleased that we were able to bounce back from a devastating loss in game one," Owls head coach Darren Munns said. "Anytime you have a two-run lead in the final inning and you blow that lead, it's tough on your team.
"But, it says a lot about our squad that they were able to bounce back and take game two and win the series."
Westminster 2 5
Dubuque 0 2
Sophomore starter Will Miller threw a complete-game shutout and struck out seven as the host Blue Jays downed the Spartans in Friday's first game at Saucier Field.
Freshman right fielder Mike Washington followed up with two hits, including his first collegiate home run, and knocked in three runs in the nightcap to help Westminster College complete a sweep of the season-opening doubleheader.
Miller throttled the University of Dubuque (0-2) in the first game, surrendering only five hits and issuing just one walk.
The Blue Jays made it 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning on sophomore left fielder Deion Hughes' RBI single. Freshman right fielder Tanner Branneky accounted for Westminster's other run when he also smacked the first home run of his collegiate career, a solo shot in the fourth.