The Park University women's basketball program was on the road in Peru, Neb. on Tuesday, falling to the Peru State College Bobcats, 79-66.

The Bobcats are 4-0 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play at 7-4 overall on the year, while the Pirates are still in the hunt for their first Heart win at 0-3 and 4-4 on the season.

Park was ready to go in the first quarter, opening the game with 22 points. Nadiyah Cooper began Park's scoring with a three-pointer and then Nevaeh Spillman layed one in for a 5-4 Park lead. Three pointers rained down for Park as Elizabeth Boehm and Cooper landed three-pointers for a 13-4 lead. Madison Hill hit from deep to get Park back to an eight-point lead 18-10 with 2:56 to go, and then Charleece Davis closed out the quarter with a pair of scores for Park's 22-15 first quarter lead. 

More three pointers came in for Park, this time by Boehm and Jordan Bianco and Park led by 11 points at the 8:19 mark in the second quarter. A 9-0 run by the Bobcats brought it all back to square one though as Park led by a possession with 3:27 on the clock, 32-30. Spillman and Cooper contributed some big plays to keep Park in front by six, but in the last two minutes, a 7-0 run gave the Bobcats a lead 38-37. Boehm responded in side 10 seconds with an impressive last second layup for the 39-38 halftime score. 

A three-pointer for Peru State tied the score at 45 and then a couple more buckets flipped the momentum their way for a five-point lead, 51-46. Spillman was able to get the game within two-points with a layup with 1:55 to go, but an and-one on the other end gave Peru State a five-point lead again. It would be a scoring freeze for Park and Peru State added another bucket before the quarter's end to make it 57-50. 

Another scoring run by the Bobcats extended the lead to double-digits at 64-52 with 7:15 to play. Boehm was the go to weapon for the Pirates with 11 fourth quarter points out of 16 Park points, but one can't help but see the loss of Spillman after she fouled out in the third quarter. On Peru State's side, Kylie Diaz took over down low and led both sides with 34 points and 20 rebounds in the contest. The Pirates had the clock working against them and without time to comeback, this game ended 79-66 in favor of the home team.

Despite Peru State turning the ball over 21 times to Park's 13, Park only shot 33-percent compared to the Bobcat's 52-percent from the field. Park had an advantage from deep at seven-of-15 compared to only three-of-eight for the Bobcats. The free-throw difference was tough to overcome for Park as well with 22-of-31 from the line for the Bobcats and an efficient, but limited 11-of-13 for Park. 

Peru State had 20 more rebounds than the Pirates, but Park had the advantage in scoring off of turnovers with 26 points compared to only eight for the Bobcats.

 Boehm led Park with 25 points and had five steals, while Spillman was also in double-figures with 11 points and two steals. 

Cooper and Bianco each had two three-point makes, like Boehm. Cooper was two-for-four and Bianco was two-of-three. 

Cooper had eight points, while Bianco and Davis each offered six points.

Cooper led Park with six rebounds with three on the offensive glass.

The Pirates are back at home on Wednesday, December 3 at 5:30pm against MidAmerica Nazarene University. Park will host a Teddy Bear Toss at halftime of both women's and men's game. Bringing a teddy bear to the gate will give free entry into the game and all stuffed animals will be donated to the Southern Platte Fire District. WATCH
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