ALMA, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College women's basketball team dug itself a big hole in the first half of play against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival Alma College and nearly completed the comeback in the second half, but the Hornets ultimately fell to the hosting Scots, 67-55.
With the game nearly level at the 4:46 mark of the first quarter and Alma holding a slight 9-8 lead, the Scots closed out the first quarter on a 13-2 run to take a 12 point lead into the second quarter.
The Scots steadily increased their lead over the next 10 minutes and held a 40-21 lead at halftime.
Kalamazoo found its spark when the second half began as the Hornets cut the lead to 13 with 4:44 remaining, but the lead was cut even further when Emily Kozal, the reigning MIAA Player of the Week, drilled back-to-back-to-back three pointers making the deficit just four.
That's as close as Kalamazoo would get, though, as Alma responded with a 9-0 run that began in the third quarter and carried to the 7:05 mark of the fourth.
Kozal paced the Hornets with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting. She went 4-of-5 from downtown.
Kelsey Adamski provided a strong all-around performance for K scoring 13 points to go with five assists and four rebounds.
Grace Smith also scored in double figures for the Hornets, totaling 10 points, eight of which came in the first half.
Alma outshot Kalamazoo, shooting 43.4 percent. The Hornets shot 32.8 percent from the field.
Kalamazoo will play its final road game of the season this Saturday, Feb. 13 when it travels to St. Mary's College for a 3 p.m. tip.