Took in the Monday night game between host UST and Concordia; a make-up game that was postponed back on December 11th due to the snownami that hit the Twin Cities on that fateful Saturday. This figured to be a good one and with the Cobbers having enjoyed success at UST for the last two season you had to wonder if the Tommies would be able to break the Cobber jinx.
The first half sure made it seem like the Tommies were more than up to the task. Despite Cobber senior Brittany Jossart's racing with the opening tip and finishing for a quick 2-0 Concordia lead, the Tommies would soon get the burst they were looking for. With UST holding a 7-6 lead at the 16:51 mark, Tommie junior PG Carolyn Dienhart converted on a lay-up and then freshman phenom Taylor Young finished inside a bit later that put the Tommies up 11-6. After fellow freshman Maggie Weiers scored inside, sophomore guard Kellie Ring drained a "3" from the top of the key at the 12:49 mark for a 17-6 Tommie lead. Freshman Kelly Brandenburg finished the 14-0 UST run when she finished in transition and the Cobbers looked like they had been clubbed. Concordia freshman Kelsey Walloch finally stopped the bleeding when she was able to score inside at the 10:43 mark but this looked like a night that UST would put an end to their misery with Concordia.
Or so it SEEMED. One thing about this senior-laden Concordia team is that they are incredibly resilient and mentally tough and they believe they can win any game they're in no matter what the situation or score. Maggie Bauernfeind was able to make it a 23-13 game when she hit a long "3" as the shot clock expired at the 8:51 mark. Sophomore reserve Tricia Sorenson cut the Tommie lead to single digits with a "3" of her own at the 7:42 mark. The Tommie lead was trimmed to a mere six points on two occasions when 6'4" freshman Alexandra Lippert scored on a turnaround jumper at the 6:53 mark and then again at the 5:48 mark when sophomore Emily Thesing scored on a jumper. UST would wake up from its slumber soon enough to get its lead back up to double digits when junior reserve post Sarah Smith scored to make it a 34-22 game and Concordia went a little cold down the stretch save for Jossart's "3" with :24 left before intermission. Even though UST was up at the half 36-27, this game suddenly had a much different complexion to it than what it did early on.
UST looked like it had it going again early on in the second half when senior forward Jazmin Townsend hit a "3" from the right wing for a 42-29 Tommie lead. Slowly, the Cobbers would whittle and chip away at the Tommie advantage. Senior Lindsey Schultz nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 13:54 mark and then Thesing drilled a "3" of her own from the left corner some 30 seconds later. After Sorenson connected with a long two- pointer at the 12:36 mark, the Tommie lead had been cut to a 44-39 count and perhaps this is where panic began to set in with the home team. Schultz then scored off the glass at the 11:52 mark and then Jossart tied it 44-all when she hit a "3" from the right wing.
Concordia's 2-3 zone in the second half also was causing UST a ton of trouble. Strangely quiet on this night, willowy three-point queen Ali Johnson finally got untracked when she hit a "3" from the right top at the 6:19 mark that would put the Tommies back out in front 50-49. Alas, it would be the last lead the Tommies would enjoy in this contest. Lippert put the Corn in front for good when she was able to snare a rebound and get a putback and after senior Erica Nord's jumper Jossart burned the Tommies again with a "3" from the right wing at the 4:10 mark for a 56-50 Concordia lead. Lippert's shot off the glass at the 3:30 mark increased it to 58-50 and despite Townsend's short shot at the 2:38 mark the Tommies were once again doomed against their rivals from Moorhead. Concordia was able to ice the game from the charity stripe for a 63-55 Cobber win.
It was an exhubarant Concordia team that was celebrating yet another win in St. Paul against the Tommies. Head Coach Jessica Rahman praised her senior leadership comprised of Schultz, Nord and Jossart who helped show the way for the young ones in this one. They just seem like a team that knows what it has to do to come up with big wins on the road and that experience and ability could be huge for this team once playoff time rolls around.
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