Was back at the Butler Center on this Wednesday night to watch host St. Kate's up against surging Concordia for the early evening match-up. On paper anyway, this appeared to be an easy win for the Cobbers but again, remember, this is the MIAC we're talking about where unpredictability has been the norm this year. And that would hold true for this game as well.
This would be yet another nip and tuck affair from the get-go as neither side could establish a clear advantage. At the 14:05 mark, Concordia senior Brittany Jossart gave her team an 11-8 lead when she drained a "3" from the left wing. But right back came the Wildcats who would tie it up at 13-all when freshman Kristen Lee drained a "3" of her own at the 12:52 mark. As the first half progressed, the Cobbers would slowly build a slight cushion. With the game tied at 17, sophomore reserve forward Tricia Sorenson swished a "3" from the left wing to start a Cobber burst. Then, lanky freshman post Alexandra Lippert scored easily inside at the 8:17 mark to push Concordia's lead to 22-17. Despite junior Megan Zillmer's two free throws that temporarily cut the Cobber lead to three, Concordia got the cushion back to five points again when sophomore reserve Emily Thesing connected on a layup at the 7:41 mark and then pushed the lead to seven points when senior Lindsey Schultz hit a long two-pointer from just inside the arc at the 6:53 mark. The lead would grow to as many as nine points twice thanks to both Lippert and Jossart and Lippert briefly gave the Corn a double-digit advantage when she sank two freebies after getting fouled. But the Wildcats would be able to close the gap again in the last minute of play to go into the locker room down only 39-32.
Concordia would control a good chunk of the second half and didn't waste any time after coming out of the locker room. Lippert got the Cobbers going with a rebound and putback at the 19:17 mark and then senior PG Erica Nord drained a "3' at the 18:37 mark as the Corn once again was able to enjoy a double-digit advantage. At the 17:33 mark, Nord would bulge the Concordia lead to twelve with a jumper and a 46-34 lead and Schultz would push the lead to as many as 14 when she stole the ball and went to the house the other way to finish with a layup. The Cobbers would hold a double-digit cushion for the next several minutes and it looked as if St. Kate's was finished for the night.
Only trouble was, the host Wildcats had vastly different ideas. The improbably comeback took its seeds at the 8:11 mark when senior power forward Sonja Ellingson scored off the glass. Then, Zillmer cut the lead to single digits when she nailed a "3" from the left wing at the 6:51 mark. At the 6:21 mark, senior do-it-all Laura Kalbfell scored inside to cut the Concordia lead to 58-52. Perhaps even more alarming for the Cobbers and head coach Jessica Rahman was a plethora of traveling calls which is very uncharacteristic for this senior-laden squad. At the 4:21 mark, Kalbfell was able to snare a rebound and get a putback that got St. Kate's to within three at 58-55. But despite all the troubles the Cobbers were having in trying to take care of the rock, this experienced group would somehow manage to hang on. Jossart would sink two free throws at the 3:01 mark for a 60-55 lead. But the Cats would come right back. Ellingson scored inside on a strong move to once again cut it to a three-point game. Unfortunately, the 'Cats would never get closer. Senior Maggie Bauernfeind connected with a short jumper at the 1:43 mark. Ellingson would again cut it to three points with two free throw shots at the 1:28 mark. With just :15 left on the clock, Bauernfeind would be fouled but she missed the 1-and-1 that gave the 'Cats one final chance. With just :04 left, Zillmer let loose with a "3" from the right wing that drew iron but refused to fall through as the Cobbers survived with a 62-59 victory.
On a brighter note for the Wildcats however, Kalbfell set a St. Kate's scoring record at the 13:14 mark of the second half; recording her 1,382th point as a Wildcat which eclipsed the mark previously held by Kate Stodolka.
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