Sietsema, Crisp Second-Half Offense Power Trojans Past Pilots in Season Finale

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Midseason addition Kendall Sietsema ignited the Taylor offense with a career-high 22 points Saturday afternoon as the Trojans powered past the Pilots, 78-71, behind a 57.7 percent second-half shooting display.

The victory closes Taylor's season on a high note, marking the program's eighth straight road win over Bethel and giving TU a sweep in the season series for the fifth time in the past six years.

From the midway point of the second quarter onward, the teams struggled to gain separation on the scoreboard despite solid offensive production. The day featured eight ties and 16 lead changes, but Taylor (7-21, 2-16 CL) made all the necessary hustle plays and key baskets down the stretch to outlast the hosts.

With 5:54 remaining in the game and TU down 60-59, an offensive rebound by Kendall Wayne led to a go-ahead layup from Sietsema. A minute later, Quinn Kelly came up with the ball on the defensive end, Taylor used much of the shot clock and Kelly ultimately capitalized on her steal with a layup that gave the Trojans a 64-60 edge.

BU (13-15, 6-12 CL) had trimmed its deficit to 64-63 when Emma Fohl sandwiched back-to-back assists of hers with a game-changing steal and push-ahead pass to Ava Henson for a fastbreak layup to put the Trojans in front, 68-63.

Fohl and Henson combined to knock down four straight free throws on Taylor's next two offensive possessions, and the Purple and Grey iced the game by getting stops on three of the four subsequent trips down the court for Bethel.

Saturday's contest was not always a fast-paced, back-and-forth affair. The first quarter was laden with officials' discussions, multiple trips to the replay monitor and poor shooting from both sides. After the last of those replay reviews, Taylor found itself behind 17-8 but roared back to within 18-16 at the end of one quarter.

Kelly had her midrange jumper falling early, but it was Sietsema who was found open for a trio of second-period triples that pulled TU ahead late in the first half, 31-30.

Coming out of the intermission, Henson joined Sietsema with solid scoring production as the pair each contributed six points in the third quarter. The Trojans shot 9-of-14 in the frame and had six assists, none bigger than Kacey Ott's kickout to Wayne for a trey at the end of the period that gave Taylor a 54-51 lead heading into the fourth.

Maycee Woods had a putback and transition layup early in the final stanza to extend the visitors' lead to 59-53 before a 7-0 Pilot run gave way to the Trojans' well-executed closing stretch.

Kelly and Henson were outstanding on the day, complementing Sietsema's 22 with 18 and 17 points, respectively, on a combined 11-of-21 accuracy. Kelly also finished with seven rebounds, four assists and a career-best four steals, while Henson closed with a team-high eight rebounds, two assists and three takeaways.

Woods scored an important nine points off the bench, Ott added five to go with three dimes and Wayne collected a gutsy six rebounds (two offensive) as the group – along with Henson and Ellie Vermilion – ended their careers at Taylor with a win.

Henson finishes her five-season career at 1,391 points – 14th on the program's all-time scoring list. Her 136 games played in a Trojan uniform are just two contests behind the program's all-time leader.