GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Kayla Ernst and the Kenyon College Ladies put forth a formidable effort against the top-seeded DePauw University Tigers. Despite a slow start, the Ladies came back to make the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament Championship interesting but dropped a 63-49 decision at the Neal Fieldhouse, Saturday night.

The No. 1 Tigers (28-0) roared to a commanding lead early before Kenyon turned the tide in the second half. DePauw took off to a 17-4 lead out of the gate with solid shooting. The Tigers also took advantage of Kenyon's poor shooting. After Ernst hit the team's first shot attempt of the game, Kenyon missed nine of its next 10 shots from the field to help DePauw build its 13-point lead. The Ladies shot just 26.9 percent from the field in the first half.

DePauw increased its first-half lead to as many as 21 points and took a 34-16 advantage into halftime after both teams swapped free-throw makes to close out the frame.

Over the first eight minutes of the second half, the Tigers maintained their hefty advantage before the Ladies chipped into what was a 19-point lead with 12:08 to go. Maggie Boelter spurred the Kenyon rally with a three-pointer off a dish from Katie Adlam. The junior answered with another three-ball, her second of three treys in the half. It was Boelter's third make from deep that cut the Tiger lead nearly in half, 50-40, with 6:21 to go.

Ernst, who scored a team-high 15 points, continued her offensive prowess by bringing Kenyon within single digits for the first time since the early goings of the first half. After drawing contact and sinking a close-range jumper, the senior completed the three-point play to cut the lead to nine points, 54-45, with 3:30 remaining.

The Ladies (20-8) drew no closer for the duration of the game as their shooting cooled off over the remaining three minutes. After Adlam and Maureen Hirt hit two-point shots in consecutive possessions, Kenyon came up empty in its final three trips down the floor before the final buzzer sounded.

The Tigers' win awards them their second consecutive NCAC Tournament title. They were led by Ali Ross, who scored a game-high 16 points and was a major factor in her team's 40.4 percent field goal shooting mark after hitting 7-of-9 field goal attempts.

Ernst was 7-of-15 from the floor. The senior was one of three Kenyon players to hit double-figure scoring marks with Boelter (11) and Hirt (10) joining her in that category. Adlam dished out a game-best five assists.

At the conclusion of the game, the conference named its All-Tournament team. Both Ernst and Hirt made the team. Ernst scored double figures in all three games of the tournament, while Hirt notched a single-game best 24 points in the Ladies' 80-50 victory over Allegheny College in Friday's semi-final game. Hirt combined for 43 points (14.3 ppg) and Ernst led all Kenyon scorers with 53 points (18.7) over the three-game span.

The Ladies' runner-up finish marks the second time since the 2005-06 season the team has advanced to the NCAC Tournament finals. Since then, Kenyon Women's Basketball has advanced to the semi-final round in every season.

With the NCAA Division III Tournament looming and a respectable falter to the No. 1 team in the nation, the Ladies' postseason hopes beyond the NCAC Tournament could still be alive. If Kenyon is to receive an at-large bid to the 'Big Dance', it will find out on Monday, February 25 during the NCAA Selection Show. The show will be broadcast online at NCAA.com at 2:30 p.m.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Nan Nichols Award (MVP)
Kate Walker, DePauw
Daryl Ford, Allegheny
Enri Small, Wittenberg
Kayla Ernst, Kenyon
Maureen Hirt, Kenyon
Ali Ross, DePauw