SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — February 28, 2026 — Mission's postseason push came to a close Saturday as the Lady Patriots fell to top-seeded Columbia, 79-51, in the American Midwest Conference Tournament semifinals at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse.
Pregame
Fifth-seeded Mission entered the semifinal at 14-15 overall and 10-9 in conference play after an 81-77 quarterfinal win over UHSP.
Top-seeded Columbia came in 28-1 overall and 18-0 in conference play, advancing with a 70-44 win over Cottey College.
Columbia won both regular-season meetings between the two teams. Although played at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse, the contest was held at a neutral site as part of the AMC Tournament.
Game Summary
Columbia wasted little time taking control. The Lady Cougars opened the game with back-to-back three-pointers from Ashtyn Klusmeyer and Lexi Miller to jump ahead 6-0 in the first minute. Mission answered at the free-throw line and with a three from Hannah Maxwell, but Columbia closed the quarter on a strong run, taking a 23-9 lead after one.
The second quarter proved difficult offensively for the Lady Patriots. Ireland Jones scored inside midway through the period, and Naomi Daugherty added a layup, but Columbia extended its lead with another Klusmeyer three and consistent scoring in transition. The Lady Cougars outscored Mission 14-6 in the frame to carry a 37-15 advantage into halftime.
Mission showed its best stretch of the afternoon in the third quarter. Daugherty opened the scoring with a layup and followed with a three-point play. She continued to produce inside and at the free-throw line, while Miya Nieto knocked down a three and added a jumper. Tara Masten also connected from beyond the arc as the Lady Patriots scored 24 points in the quarter. However, Columbia answered each surge with timely threes from Lexi Miller and Lauren Friedrich, maintaining a 64-39 lead entering the fourth.
In the final quarter, Masten converted an early layup and Daugherty added two free throws, but Columbia continued to stretch the margin. Klusmeyer completed a three-point play, and Friedrich added another three to push the lead past 30. Mission's bench closed the scoring in the final minutes with free throws from Brooklynn Masten and Lauren Carson, setting the final at 79-51.
Columbia finished 27-of-73 from the field and 14-of-38 from three-point range. Mission shot 16-of-62 overall and 3-of-23 from beyond the arc.
Stat Leaders (Mission)
Naomi Daugherty — 13 points, 5 rebounds
Ireland Jones — 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals
Tara Masten — 8 points, 5 rebounds
Miya Nieto — 7 points, 6 rebounds
Hannah Maxwell — 4 points, 4 rebounds
Series Notes
Columbia won all three meetings between the teams this season, including two regular-season matchups and Saturday's semifinal contest.
Next Up
Mission concludes the AMC Tournament with a 14-16 overall record and will now await a potential bid to the NCCAA Regional Tournament.
