ASHLAND, Ore. — Carroll had a one-point lead with under nine minutes left Friday night, but Wayland Baptist (Texas) closed the game on a 15-5 run to beat the Fighting Saints 72-63 in their first-round NAIA women's tournament game at Lithia Motors Pavilion.
No. 10-seeded Carroll, which advanced to the NAIA semifinals last season, finished the year with a 19-12 record.
Saints guard Kyndall Keller had a big game with 26 points while Addi Ekstrom scored 17 and hit all five of her 3-point tries. Willa Albrecht added 12 points and seven rebounds for Carroll.
But none of that was enough to offset a 35-point performance from Wayland Baptist's Megan Nestor. Nestor was dominant, making 17 of 20 field goal attempts while pulling down 15 rebounds. Kaitlyn Jerden finished with 14 points for the Pioneers.
No. 7 seed Wayland Baptist, now with a 26-4 record, advances to the second round and a chance to move on to the tournament's final site in Sioux City, Iowa.
