Women's Basketball Pulls Away From William Woods in Road Win

Fulton, Mo., (Nov. 19, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams traveled to Fulton, Mo., for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against William Woods (Mo.), Wednesday evening.  The Viking women's team pulled away in the second half for a 74-47 victory.

Missouri Valley started the women's game by going in front early, as Freshman Guard Madison Mills (Farmington, Mo.) sank a three-pointer, and a steal from Junior Forward Ricarda Schott (Krefeld, Germany) led to a layup by Freshman Forward Tara Rivas (San Salvador, El Salvador) to give the team a 5-2 lead with less than two minutes played.  The two teams traded points over the next stretch.  Rivas added another layup, while Mills scored five points to keep MVC ahead, 13-10, midway through the quarter.  Sophomore Forward Lexi Fenstermacher (O'Fallon, Mo.) came down with an offensive rebound and a layup just over one minute later to extend the advantage.  The Owls outscored Missouri Valley by an 8-2 margin to close the first quarter of play to hold an 18-17 lead going into the second quarter.

Scoring began with a three-pointer from Mills to send MVC back in front, 20-18. The two teams went scoreless over the next two minutes of the second quarter, until a WWU basket tied the contest at 20-20 near the seven-minute mark.  The Vikings went nearly five minutes without a basket, as the drought ended on another three-pointer from Mills to keep the teams tied at 23-23.  Fenstermacher briefly put Missouri Valley ahead on a layup with less than three minutes remaining in the half.  However, WWU followed with a 6-0 run to make it a 29-25 score just before halftime.  Rivas drew a foul in the final seconds and sank a pair of free throws to cut the Viking deficit to 29-27 at the break.

Missouri Valley began the third quarter with a three-pointer from Junior Guard Jozelynn Bostick (Centralia, Mo.), followed by two layups from Senior Center Sara Ortiz (La Roda, Spain) to send the team in front, 34-31, with less than two minutes played after the restart.  William Woods followed the next four points to reclaim the lead, 35-34 moments later.  The Owls stayed on top at 37-36 midway through the quarter, but MVC followed with a run.  Ortiz secured an offensive rebound, which led to a three-pointer from Senior Guard Sophie Sullivan (Lombard, Ill.), followed by a layup from Sullivan and a jumper by Junior Guard Jessica Reeter (Chillicothe, Mo.) to cap a 9-0 run and give the Vikings a 45-37 advantage with four minutes to play in the quarter.  After a WWU basket, Missouri Valley finished the quarter on an 11-0 run as Sullivan and Freshman Guard Alice Lepetitgaland (Lyon, France) each scored four points, and Mills made a three-pointer.  The Vikings led, 56-39.

Play in the fourth quarter began with William Woods held scoreless until less than three minutes remained in the game.  Missouri Valley went on a 12-0 run during the stretch, as Reeter scored five points, Bostick sank a three-pointer and both Rivas and Fenstermacher added layups to help make it a 68-39 score.  The Vikings finished off the game from there, and secured a 74-47 victory.

Mills finished with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Reeter had nine points and six assists, while Ortiz totaled six points and nine rebounds.  Missouri Valley held a 48-38 advantage in rebounds and held William Woods to 31-percent shooting from the floor.

Missouri Valley improves to 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the Heart.  William Woods drops to 0-4 on the season and 0-2 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking basketball teams host Baker (Kan.) in the first home Heart doubleheader of the season, Saturday inside the Burns Athletic Complex.  Women's game starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.