INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - The Carroll Women's Basketball fell in the First Round of the 2026 NAIA Women's Basketball Championship, as the eight-seed in the Lison Quadrant, Columbia (Mo.) pulled away in the second half for a 76-63 win at the Marian PE Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.

For the second-straight season the Fighting Saints (19-11, 17-5) saw a first quarter lead slip away in an opening round loss, as the Cougars (31-1, 18-0) came back for a 76-63 win.

It was Columbia who got off to a quick start, opening the game on a quick 7-0 run, but the Saints would wind up controlling the quarter in a full team effort. Back-to-back threes from Kenzie Allen (Grantsville, Utah / JR) and Willa Albrecht (Billings, Mont. / R-SR) got Carroll going, kick-starting a 19-4 run over a seven-minute span. All said and done, the Saints brought a 22-14 lead into the second.

Scoring dried up for the Saints in the second quarter, as Meagan Karstetter (Moses Lake, Wash. / SR) and Allen combined for all 10 Carroll points in the frame. Meanwhile, Columbia's Lexi Miller began to catch fire. The second-leading scorer went 4-4 from three-point range, while leading scorer Ashtyn Klusmeyer added eight in a 27-point Cougar outburst to take a 41-32 lead at the half.

Shooting woes continued for the Saints in the third quarter, as they went just 3-13 (23 percent) from the floor. Karstetter continued her strong play in the frame, however, scoring seven of her 20 points in the frame. Columbia stretched their lead to 18 heading into the fourth though, adding 20 more points on 50 percent shooting.

The Saints staged a late-game comeback, as Albrecht added nine fourth quarter points, while Karstetter and Allen added four points each, but the run would be far too little, too late, and the Cougars would punch their ticket to the Second Round.

All four Carroll seniors made an impact in their final games in the Purple and Gold. Karstetter had a career night, leading Carroll with a team-high 20 points and seven rebounds. Albrecht finished her career as the lone Saint to score 1,200 or more points in fewer than 100 career games (1263 points). Isabelle Erickson (Broadview, Mont. / R-SR) led all players with a game-high six assists, and four rebounds, while Ava Oakland (Boise, Idaho / SR) knocked down the final shot of her career, a left-wing three in the second half.

Concordia moves on to the Second Round, where they will take on one-seed and host-school Marian, tomorrow night at 6 p.m.