Women's Basketball Falls on the Road to No. 11 MidAmerica Nazarene

Olathe, Kan., (Jan. 3, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College basketball teams opened the new year with a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader at MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Saturday afternoon.  The women's team fell to the No. 11 Pioneers, 47-38, while the men's team earned a 76-62 victory.

The women's game started with Missouri Valley going in front early in the first quarter after a basket from Senior Center Sara Ortiz (La Roda, Spain) and a three-pointer from Junior Guard Jessica Reeter (Chillicothe, Mo.) made it a 5-0 score with two minutes played.  The Pioneers were held scoreless through more than three minutes of play, but eventually scored seven-straight points to move in front, 7-5, midway through the quarter.  Freshman Guard Bianca Sarbu (Bucharest, Romania) tied the teams at 7-7 moments later, while MNU went on another 7-0 run to hold a 14-7 advantage with just over two minutes remaining.  Junior Center Gabriela Modeva (Ohrid, Macedonia) added a basket, and Sophomore Forward Lexi Fenstermacher (O'Fallon, Mo.) made a field goal in the closing moments of the quarter to cut the MVC deficit down to 16-11.

The two teams went scoreless through nearly two minutes of play to open the second quarter, until a pair of free throws from MidAmerica Nazarene made it an 18-11 score. The two teams traded points over the next stretch, which included baskets from Fenstermacher and Ortiz.  Reeter came through with a field goal near the four-minute mark to pull MVC back to a 21-17 deficit near the four-minute mark, while a made shot from Freshman Forward Lilyan Landers (Scott City, Mo.) and a three-pointer by Fenstermacher cut the gap to 24-22 with less than two minutes to play in the half.  The Pioneers followed by scoring the final four points of the quarter from the free throw line, and sent the Vikings into halftime trailing, 28-22.

Play in the third quarter began with a three-pointer from Junior Guard Jozelynn Bostick (Centralia, Mo.) followed by a field goal by Fenstermacher to put MVC in a 28-27 deficit with less than one minute played after the restart.  The next made shot for Missouri Valley came nearly three minutes later, as the three-pointer from Freshman Guard Maddison Mills (Farmington, Mo.) tied the teams at 30-30.  The Vikings were held scoreless through a more than six minute stretch as the quarter continued, until a field goal from Bostick closed the quarter and put MVC at a 39-32 deficit going into the final quarter of play.

A pair of free throws by Fenstermacher began the fourth quarter, and Missouri Valley trailed, 39-34.  However, the Viking could one produce four more points through the rest of the quarter, all coming from the free throw line.  MidAmerica Nazarene maintained its lead through the rest of the game, and handed the Vikings a 47-38 defeat.

Fenstermacher led with a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.  Reeter added seven points.  Missouri Valley held a 38-30 advantage in rebounds and limited MNU to 26-percent shooting from the floor.

Missouri Valley drops to 8-6 overall and 5-2 in the Heart.  MidAmerica Nazarene improves to 11-3 on the season and 7-1 in the conference.

The men's team will play a non-conference game against Central Christian of the Bible (Mo.), Monday at 6 p.m., inside the Burns Athletic Complex.  Both teams will host Park (Mo.), Wednesday in a Heart doubleheader 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.