After witnessing an incredible comeback by Bethel that saw them defeat Concordia in the last seconds while doing color commentary with Tony Geer, I made the trek to the other side of town to catch two neighbors who both wear the color purple go at it - UST and St. Kate's. Coming in, I pretty much expected the Tommies to be in control of this one so when I got there and got settled in around the 6:57 mark of the 1st half that saw the Tommies up 28-18 it was going as I had expected it to go.
UST would maintain that ten point cushion for the next few minutes as both Taylor Young and Rachel Booth were able to muscle the inside but the 'Cats slowly clawed back. At the 3:22 mark senior Laura Kalbfell worked inside against a bigger Tommie front line and finished. Shortly after freshman Kristen Lee sank a "3" from the right wing that cut the deficit to 32-27. Although Young quickly responded for the visiting Tommies, Kalbfell found herself open at the top of the key at the 2:05 mark and calmly drained a "3" that cut the margin to 34-30. Although the 'Cats weren't able to get any closer than four points for the rest of the half, going in to the locker room down 38-34 to an arguably superior team gave this team reason to have hope and fight.
Perhaps the Tommies had taken their neighbor lightly. In any event, Kalbfell started the second half with a 10 footer to cut UST's lead to 38-36 and you could just tell how badly the 'Cats wanted this one. Still, the Tommies were still the same tough Tommies and junior Ali Johnson showed why she may be the premier three point shooter in the conference as she drilled one from the top that momentarily gave the UST squad a shot of adrenaline. But again, the 'Cats struck back. Sophomore Adele Simerson-Wallfred hit a long two-pointer and then Kalbfell made a beautiful move along the baseline and finished at the 14:22 mark that once again cut the deficit to a scant two points.
UST would have another mini-run left in them just before the midway point of the second half. Freshman Kelly Brandenburg knocked down a long two- pointer at the 11:43 mark that got the Tommies back up to 49-45 and then a bit later fellow freshman Maggie Weiers finished in transition that got the UST lead back up to six points. Junior Haley Loesch's three-pointer from the right wing at the 10:21 mark had the Tommies up by nine at 54-45 and feeling good about themselves again. But it was at this point that the Tommies began to lose focus and the 'Cats were ready - once again - to pounce on an opportunity. Kalbfell sank a "3" at the 9:52 mark and then junior guard Megan Zillmer finished a drive inside on the next 'Cat possession. After sophomore Andrea Gould finished inside to cut UST's lead to 54-52, senior Sonja Ellingson tied the game at 54-all at the 8:16 mark and UST head coach Ruth Sinn quickly called a timeout to try and calm down her rattled team.
Over the course of the next few minutes the issue would stay very close; very tight. The Tommies enjoyed their last lead of the contest at the 6:01 mark when senior stud Rachel Booth made a strong move inside and finished to make the score 60-58. But the Cats simply wanted it more and Kalbfell made another brilliant move inside and finished and got fouled in the process. Her ensuing charity stripe shot gave St. Kate's the lead for good at 61-60. Zillmer made two more free throws shortly afterward and Simerson-Wallfred canned a long two-pointer for a 65-60 'Cat lead. UST would never get closer than three going into the home stretch and despite a last-ditch "3" from Johnson with :04 left, the Cats had pulled off the huge upset at home winning 73-68.
An understandably disappointed Ruth Sinn was gracious enough to talk to me afterward and admitted that her team simply didn't show that sense of urgency coming down the stretch which I would have to agree with. I think that UST must have taken the 'Cats lightly as well and must have thought that they could have coasted when they were up by 9-10 points earlier in the game. But, as the saying goes, you've got to play the whole 40 minutes. I still shudder when I think of all the matches I've lost when I was up a break or two in the second or third set with a seemingly comfortable lead only to watch my opponent come back and snatch momentum (and the match) from me. In any event, it was a costly "L" for the Tommies with the toughest part of their schedule coming up.
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