The Liberty Christian girls basketball team was unable to overcome a second half deficit in their loss to Mississippi Valley Christian High School. 

Liberty Christian Academy (8-9) fell to the Warriors 54-44 in their final home game of the regular season. Despite trailing by seven points at multiple points in the third quarter, the Lady Eagles trimmed the deficit to three points before junior Lauren Moss fouled out of the game on a charging call. Moss played the entire second half with four fouls. 

“We don’t really have a steep bench,” Liberty Christian Girls Basketball Coach Kim Meyer said. “So we have to just kind of chance it. And she controls more than one aspect of the game. She controls the entire court when she’s out there. So you definitely have to just take the chance because everything changes when she’s not on the court.” 

After Moss fouled out, Anna Scheltens scored a basket to cut the deficit to one point. Mississippi Valley Christian followed up the basket with a 7-0 run to take a 48-40 lead. The Lady Eagles scored two consecutive baskets from freshman Mallory Boenker and eighth grader Emma Roden to pull within four points at 48-44. Mississippi Valley ended the game on a 6-0 run. 

“The girls were, they were in the position and ready,” Meyer said. “Actually, they really rose to the occasion. Like, practices and everything, she’s (Moss) so dominant. She’s a dominant player. And so she’s just a dominant leader. So when she wasn’t out there, you kind of don’t know what’s going to take place until she’s gone. And so I was just extremely impressed by how we just rose up and had this just fire in their eyes.”

Despite falling behind 9-1 in the first quarter, Liberty Christian tied the game at 18-18 in the second quarter. The Lady Eagles trailed 26-23 at halftime. 

Moss led Liberty Christian with 18 points. Trina Scheltens registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jubilee McGowen led the Lady Eagles  with 12 rebounds.