December 10, 2022 | by Ashley Nerat

LEAD

ANKENY, Iowa --  It was a close game, but Maranatha was able to finish on top over Calvary with a final score of 43-36. 

Sarah Ureke was a key to the Sabercats' win. She carried her team with 14 points and got things going in the second half with multiple three-point buckets. 

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 43-36 Calvary
• Venue: Nettleton Courts - Faith Baptist Bible College
• Location: Ankeny, Iowa
• Event: Faith Christmas Classic
  • NCCAA North Region Regular Season
• Attendance: 47
• Records: MBU (2-6), CU (0-3)

STORY

It was a slow start for both teams. After a long 3 minutes of play, Abbie Herbster finally put some points on the scoreboard. But it didn't take Calvary long to follow up with a basket of their own. The first half of the play was not the best for either team. The Sabercats and Warriors entered their lockerrooms at the half in a very low-scoring game of 14-13, with Calvary on top.

Maranatha came out of halftime looking like a whole new team. It seemed a fire had ignited in Freshman Sarah Ureke, who quickly drained back-to-back-to-back 3s! Now leading 22-14, the Sabercats were feeling a bit more energetic. They kept the Warriors to only two points in the third quarter. 

Kyria Teachout started the final quarter as a one-woman show for the Sabercats, she grabbed a quick steal and dribbled the length of the court to finish with a layup, giving her team a 12-point lead. 

The Warriors would not go down without a fight though. They made things interesting with a 6-0 run in the last minute of the game. But the Sabercats were able to hold on until the end, finishing 43-36 and earning their second win of the season. 

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Maranatha Starters: 5- Ureke, 12- Ab. Herbster, 13- Teachout, 25- Morrison, 30- Greene

STATS

• Boxscore
• MBU: shot 32.7 percent from the field
• CU: shot 20.7 percent from the field
• Last time: Maranatha defeated Calvary 58-40 on December 10, 2021.
• Series: Maranatha leads the all-time series against Calvary 6-0

OPPONENTS

• Calvary competes in the Midwest Christian College Conference
• Calvary also competes alongside Maranatha in the National Christian Athletic Association (DII North Region)
• Calvary finished the '21-'22 season with a 1-18 record
• Calvary has fallen to Maranatha in the NCCAA North Region Championship (2020 & 2021)

NEXT

The Sabercats return to Watertown, Wisconsin to face Illinois Tech in their last game of the year on Tuesday, December 13 at 6 p.m. Follow at mbusabercats.com/schedule.