EMPORIA, Kan. – Foul trouble hurt Rogers State women's basketball (4-4, 0-3 MIAA) in their first road test of the season as they came up short late in an 80-71 game against Emporia State (4-3, 2-0 MIAA) on Wednesday.
 
Four Hillcats finished in double figures on the night. Kaya Goldsby led all scorers with a career-high 19 points as well as a team-high seven assists, five rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Both Alyza Aikins and Destiny Jones put up 13 points with Aikins adding three rebounds, two assists and two blocks while Jones added three rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Mariana Minotto contributed 12 points with a team-high seven rebounds, an assist and a block.
 
After scoring the opening basket of the game, the Hillcats went cold as the Hornets ripped off a 9-0 run en route to a 12-4 lead with 2:21 left in the first quarter. RSU found their footing and closed out the period on a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to 14-10.
 
The Hillcats momentum carried into the second quarter as they started on a 13-3 run to grab the lead back at 23-17 midway through the period. They continued to roll building up to their largest lead of the half at 29-21 and carried a 34-30 advantage into the break.
 
After two made free throws from ESU cut the lead down to two points to start the second half, RSU went back to work rebuilding its lead, and eventually pushing out to its largest margin of the game at 46-35 with six minutes left in the third quarter. However, the Hornets came flying back with 3:34 left in the period as they went on a 14-1 odyssey to reclaim the lead and carry a 54-51 advantage into the final 10 minutes.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Hillcats responded by reclaiming the lead at 59-54 thanks to a 8-0 run to start the period, and were able to get the margin back out to eight points at 65-57 with 7:23 left. ESU once again battled their way back into the game as an 8-0 run of their own tied the game at 65-65. Foul trouble began to hurt the Hillcats over the final five and half minutes as the Hornets made 11 free throws down the stretch to come all the way back and claim the 80-71 victory.
 
Free throws played a large role in deciding this game, as Emporia State shot a jaw-dropping 38-for-50 from the charity stripe compared to RSU's 10-for-17. The Hornets made at least 10 or more foul shots in three of the four quarters, while a season-high four Hillcats fouled out of the game.
 
RSU will be back in action on Saturday, Dec. 9 as they close out the road trip with a stop in Topeka, Kan. to face off against Washburn. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m.