PRATT, Kan.- Coach Ishee's gritty group of women had been searching for a signature win deep into the 2020 season. Undoubtedly, the Beavers found such a win against the 12th-ranked team in the country. 

Downing Seward County 56-52, Pratt's defense managed to stifle the visiting team. Forcing the Saints to shoot 26 percent from the field (15-58), Seward County further saw its offensive struggles from the three-point line, connecting on only 15 percent of its attempts (4-26). Seward County's offensive inefficiencies offset Pratt losing the turnover (23-18) and rebounding (36-33) margins. 

Though Pratt wasn't markedly better from the field, shooting 35 percent (18-52), the Beavers did just enough.

Rachel Tippens was the lone Beaver to finish in double-figures, as she tied her season-high with 12 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. Eva Sanchez led the Beavers with seven rebounds. 

Leading 13-11 after the first quarter, Pratt turned up the heat within the Beaver Dome in the second quarter. Up 19-17 with five and a half minutes before halftime, the Beavers closed the quarter on a 13-5 run to enter the break leading 32-22. 

Coach Ishee's team maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second-half, though the Saints made things interesting in crunch time. The Beavers lead was trimmed to 47-45 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, and was eventually cut down to 50-49 with 50 seconds on the clock. Coach Ishee called a timeout to talk things over with his team, and the subsequent possession didn't unravel as planned. Tippens, who did her best work late, connected on a step-back jumper as the shot clock expired to give the Beavers a 52-49 lead with 28 seconds to go. 

The following possession, Pratt forced a Seward County turnover, and after being fouled, Dymond McElrath made one of her two free throws to extend the Beavers lead to four at 53-49. 

Despite a late three-pointer from Seward County's Karolina Szydlowska to narrow the Pratt lead to 53-52 with eight seconds remaining, the Beavers were 3-4 from the free throw line the rest of the way. 

Improving to 14-11 and 8-8 in the KJCCC, the women will be back in action on Monday for the road fixture against #6 Hutchinson. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30.