The Valpo women's basketball team closed out the 2025 calendar year Monday afternoon at the ARC, returning to the heart of Missouri Valley Conference play with an 86-52 loss to visiting UNI.
 
How It Happened

• It was a quick start Monday for the Beacons, as Allia von Schlegell (Downers Grove, Ill./Nazareth Academy) hit a 3-pointer and Fiona Connolly (South Burlington, Vt./Brewster Academy [La Salle]) drove for a layup on Valpo's first two possessions to give it an early 5-0 lead.
• UNI responded with a 14-2 run over the next three-plus minutes to pull in front.
• Mikayla Huffine (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran [Quincy/Iowa Western C.C.]) stemmed the tide with a triple, and when Kennedy Sproule (Niverville, Manitoba/Churchill [Bay College]) knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:43 remaining in the quarter, the Beacons were within 21-17.
• The Panthers hit two triples of their own late in the period to lead 27-17 after 10 minutes.
• A 3-pointer from Mor Shabtai (Tel Aviv, Israel/Tichonet) was part of a four-point spurt to start the second quarter for Valpo, bringing it within 27-21.
• The margin was still single digits after a free throw by Kayla Sullivan (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran North [State Fair C.C.]) made it 31-22 with 7:37 to play in the first half, before a 13-3 run over the next four-plus minutes from the Panthers pushed their lead to 19.
• UNI was up 47-30 at intermission.
• Connolly scored on the opening possession of the second half to make it a 15-point game, but that proved to be as close as Valpo got in the second half. The Panthers held a 70-46 advantage at the end of the third quarter and scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to pull away.

 
Inside The Game

• After missing Valpo's nonconference finale due to injury, Connolly returned to action Monday and paced the Beacons with 10 points — her ninth double-digit scoring output this season.
• Two other Beacons came off the bench to match their season best in the scoring department. Kayla Preston (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) hit 3-of-5 from the floor for seven points, while Sullivan scored six points and also set a season high with six rebounds.
• Kamryn Winch (Bonne Terre, Mo./North County [Maryville]) approached a double-double off the bench as well, posting eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
• Valpo shot 32.2% from the floor and was 5-of-21 from 3-point range while committing 21 turnovers. The Panthers hit 15-of-31 from deep — the most 3-pointers by a Valpo opponent since Oakland hit 16 Dec. 31, 2016.
• The Beacons did limit the Panthers to 38.5% shooting (15-of-39) inside the 3-point line.

Postgame Press Conference - Head Coach Courtney Boyd and Kayla Sullivan 

Next Up
Valpo (0-13, 0-2 MVC) hits the road for the first time in MVC play later this week, visiting the Valley's other two Indiana-based institutions. The road trip opens with a New Year's Day matinee in Terre Haute, as the Beacons take on Indiana State at 1 p.m. CT.