Abilene, Texas -- The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels improved to 7-2 on the season with a 58-54 victory at the McMurry University War Hawks today (Dec. 15) in Abilene, Texas. 

The Lady Evangels seized control when they were down 14-11 in the first half and Ashlee Ferguson scored seven points of a 14-2 outburst that put MACU on top by nine and they went on to a 29-20 lead at the break. 

After McMurry twice cut the lead to three in the opening seven minutes of the second half, consecutive layups from Alexia Kelley capped an 11-3 spurt that gave the Lady Evangels their largest lead of the game to that point of 44-33 with 9:39 left. 

It was still an 11-point edge when Ashley Hesseltine exploded for 10 points of a 14-3 run for the War Hawks that tied the score at 50-50 with exactly five minutes remaining. 

But the Lady Evangels put the clamps down defensively from that point, allowing the War Hawks only one field goal and two free throws the rest of the way.  

Felicia Foster drilled a three that gave the Lady Evangels the lead for good and following two McMurry free throws, Shakayla Love converted a three-point play that made it a two-possession lead at the 3:24 mark. 

Ferguson then made two free throws with 1:21 left to make it a six-point game as the Lady Evangels held on for the victory. 

Ferguson led the Lady Evangels with 19 points and Love added 10 points and eight rebounds.  Tierra Brown also had eight boards for MACU. 

Hesseltine led all scorers with 22 points, while Adijatu Disu had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds for the War Hawks. 

The Lady Evangels will next take time off for the Christmas holiday before getting back into action with a pair of games in the Arizona Christian Classic.  MACU will face Arizona Christian on Dec. 30 and then Northern New Mexico College on Dec. 31.