Women's Basketball Suffers Home Loss to Benedictine

Marshall, Mo. (Nov. 25, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams welcomed Benedictine (Kan.) into the Burns Athletic Complex Tuesday evening for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader.  The women's team fell by a final score of 66-61.  The men's team dropped its game by a 69-57 score.

Scoring for Missouri Valley opened in the women's game with seven points by Junior Guard Jessica Reeter (Chillicothe, Mo.) to put the team in front, 7-6, with just over two minutes played.  Junior Guard Jozelynn Bostick (Centralia, Mo.) added a three-pointer, and Reeter made a three-point shot to stretch the advantage out to 13-6 near the six-minute mark.  Benedictine cut its deficit down to 13-12 two minutes later, but Freshman Guard Tara Rivas (San Salvador, El Salvador) followed with a layup to make it a 15-12 score as the quarter went under four minutes remaining.  The Vikings went scoreless over a nearly three-minute stretch, and BC moved in front, 17-15.  Senior Guard Sophie Sullivan (Lombard, Ill.) blocked a three-point shot by the Ravens, then came up with the rebound and finished off a fast-break layup to tie the contest at 17-17 with one minute on the clock.  Freshman Forward Bianca Sarbu (Bucharest, Romania) made a late basket for MVC, but the team trailed, 22-19, going into the second quarter.

Benedictine increased its advantage to 26-19 less than one minute into the second quarter.  Sarbu followed with a steal, then made a three-pointer, while Freshman Guard Maddison Mills (Farmington, Mo.) and Reeter made three-pointers to cap a 9-0 run for MVC, and put the team ahead, 28-27, with less than seven minutes to play in the half.  Bostick added a three-point field goal moments later, as the team held a 31-30 lead.  The Ravens responded with five-straight points midway through the quarter to go on top, 36-31.  Reeter ended the Viking drought with a three-pointer, while Senior Center Gabriela Modeva (Ohrid, Macedonia) finished off a three-point play to send the team in front, 37-36 near the three-minute mark.  Benedictine added the final points of the quarter, and a last-second three-point attempt from Sullivan rimmed out as Missouri Valley trailed, 38-37, at halftime.

The two teams traded baskets to begin play in the third quarter.  Sophomore Forward Lexi Fenstermacher (O'Fallon, Mo.) made a three-pointer, while a Modeva offensive rebound led to a Reeter jumper to keep MVC at a 43-42 deficit with three minutes played.  The Vikings went more than four minutes without another made field goal, until a layup from Freshman Guard Alice Lepetitgaland (Lyon, France) shrunk the gap to 49-45 near the two-minute mark.  Sullivan added a three-point play late in the quarter, but the Vikings sat in a 51-48 deficit going into the final quarter of play.

The first field goal of the fourth quarter for Missouri Valley came more than two minutes into play, and the basket from Sullivan pulled the team back to a 53-52 score.  The Vikings were unable to move in front from there, as Benedictine outscored MVC by an 8-1 margin over the next four minutes.  Reeter added a pair of free throws and Fenstermacher sank a three-pointer in the final minute to cut the deficit to 62-58.  Sarbu added another late three-point shot, but Missouri Valley could not get a late tying basket, and fell by a final score of 66-61.

Reeter led with 22 points to go with eight assists.  Sarbu came off the bench to score nine points and Fenstermacher had a team-high nine rebounds.  Missouri Valley held Benedictine to 33-percent shooting from the floor.

Missouri Valley drops to 4-4 on the season and 3-1 in the Heart.  Benedictine improves to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking women's basketball team will travel to Owensboro, Ky., for a non-conference game against Brescia (Ky.), Saturday at 2 p.m. The men's team goes to St. Louis, Mo., for a non-conference contest against Harris-Stowe (Mo.), Saturday at 3 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.