Was at Northwestern's Ericksen Center in Roseville on this Saturday evening after a VERY good meal at my favorite Mexican Restaurant, Don Pablos; to take in this interesting MIAC-UMAC clash between visiting Augsburg and host Northwestern. Augsburg needed to get it going again after having their jets cooled in consecutive losses to GAC and St. Olaf and, at least on paper anyway, this looked like a good way to do it.
After a sweet duet by Northwestern's Chanel Madson and Mollie Sir of the National Anthem, Northwestern appeared ready to duke it out with the Auggies as Madson drained a "3" from the left wing at the 19:48 mark for a quick 3-0 Eagle lead and duet partner Sir did likewise at the 16:40 mark as Northwestern held an 8-4 lead. However, Augsburg's powerful junior Brittany Zins enabled the Auggies to knot things at 8-all with two inside shots at the 15:27 and 15:04 marks. Sophomore Kendra Ware nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 14:26 mark but Sir answered right back with another "3" at the 13:01 mark to knot things at 11 apiece.
At that point, anyway, it looked as if Northwestern was going to be right in the thick of things for the duration. But the visiting Auggies had other ideas as they decided to rip off a decisive 13-0 run over a 4-minute stretch that would give them the cushion they needed. Freshman Abbey Luger nailed a "3" at the 12:41 mark to start the assault. A stifling Augsburg defense resulted in a plethora of Northwestern turnovers that led to two easy transition buckets by the Auggies. At the 10:32 mark, junior Brittany Dyshaw made a beautiful move along the baseline and finished inside and then senior guard Lexi Thompson then was able to finish off the run with two charity stripe shots. Sophomore Jessica Fife finally got the Eagles out of their funk when she scored off the glass at the 7:28 mark but a "3" by junior Katie Ahlstrom gave Augsburg a commanding 29-16 lead by the 6:36 mark. Another "3" by Madson as the shot clock expired at the 5:22 mark cut into the Auggie lead a bit but not enough to make a difference. Perhaps even more disconcerting for Northwestern was the fact that senior leader Kristin Sczublewski was totally held in check by the Auggies defensive schemes; staying scoreless for the entire first half that enabled Augsburg to take a 37-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.
But as young an inexperienced as this Eagle team is, they do not know the meaning of the word quit as they came out in a spirited attempt to try and claw their way back into this game in the second half. Sir knocked down a "3" from the right wing at the 19:43 mark that at least temporarily lit a fire for the home team. But they could not afford to simply trade baskets with the Auggies, either. Senior Nikki Borkhuis scored inside at the 18:51 mark and connected with a short jumper at the 17:02 mark for a 41-26 advantage. Still, Northwestern did their best to try and keep scratching and clawing. A lay-up by promising freshman Kasie Shoberg and yet another three Ms. Sir at the 14:17 mark cut the Auggie lead to a more manageable ten-point deficit but they simply did not have the firepower to bring it all the way back. Sczublewski was still conspicuously silent in this game until the 11:55 mark when she finally nailed two charity stripe shots. Sczublewski did nail a "3" at the 9:15 mark that did get the Eagles to withing six but that would be as close as Northwestern could get. Lay-ups by both Zins and Thompson would enable the Auggies to build up the cushion again and although by Sir and Madson tried to go bombs away from behind the arc in a vain effort to get it close again, Augsburg would hold off the host team to claim a tough 61-51 win.
Los Angeles Rams
Monday, December 19, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
UST vs St. Olaf 12-13-11
Was at St. Olaf's Skoglund Center last night to take in the much-anticipated tilt between UST and host St. Olaf. I was expecting a good game from two of the upper-echelon teams of the conference - and I got it.
Coming into this game, I thought it was imperative for St. Olaf to get out to a good start and junior PG Mackenzie Wolter did her part to make sure the Oles did; scoring inside at the 19:21 mark and also with a drive and finish at the 18:05 mark for a 4-2 St. Olaf lead. But the Tommies would quickly respond; thanks to sophomore reserve guard Kelly Brandenburg as she tied the game at 4-all with her pretty turnaround jump shot off the glass at the 15:15 mark and then put the Tommies ahead at the 14:30 mark with another short jumper. UST then proceeded to use a press and half-court trapping defense to try and take the Oles out of their offensive rythm which enabled the Tommies to go on a 6-0 push for a 12-6 lead by the 12:25 mark.
But St. Olaf was not going to be meek on their home floor. Junior Kirstee Rotty connected with a long jumper at the 11:57 mark and then it was junior post Erin Haglund's turn to grab the spotlight as she used her long, lanky body to score inside at the 11:23 and 10:49 marks to tie the game at 12-all. Then, it was UST's turn to respond as they went on a quick 7-0 push that was punctuated by willowy senior Ali Johnson's lay-up in transition where she was hammered in the process that helped put UST in the bonus by the 8:37 mark. But the Oles came right back with a push of their own as junior (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 7:19 mark and then Rotty knocked down a "3" from the left corner at the 6:07 mark to put the Oles back in front by a score of 20-19. Rotty then again connected with a jumper at the 5:34 mark and another O'Donoghue "3"; this one from the left wing - gave St. Olaf a 25-21 lead. With 3:12 left, Rotty then again connected with a "3" from the right corner this time for St. Olaf's largest lead at 29-23. UST was able to climb back closer towards the halftime break as senior Sarah Smith; playing with a heavy heart with the recent loss of her brother, scored inside with 2:43 left and again at the 1:13 mark with a turnaround jumper that cut the Ole lead to 29-27.
The beginning of the second half saw a continuation of this see-saw affair. Junior guard Kellie Ring nailed a "3" at the 17:08 mark but sophomore Addy Bates who hails from Nevada, Iowa, drained a "3" from the left wing at the 16:16 mark and a lay-up by Rotty shortly afterward again gave St. Olaf a six-point 36-30 lead. But the explosive and incredibly deep Tommies would then go on the decisive run that would point the way to ultimate victory. Smith again scored inside at the 13:56 mark and then sophomore sensation Taylor Young (who would have a monster second half) scored in transition at the 13:40 mark. Then it was Johnson with one of her patented "3's" at the 11:55 mark that put the Tommies up for good at 38-37. Perhaps just as important, UST again found themselves in the bonus early when Young was fouled at the 9:01 mark. Lay-ups by both Wolter and O'Donoghue kept the Oles close.
But UST was again coming at St. Olaf hard with their man-to-man "D" and half-court trapping/pressing that was forcing the Oles into several unforced errors and making life particularly difficult for Wolter as the Oles had a tough time finding any offensive rythm coming down the stretch. There were several possessions where the Oles found themselves with little time left on the shot clock and either had a shot blocked at the shot-clock buzzer or where time expired on them. Freshman Sheridan Blanford was able to score inside at the 5:42 mark but she already had four fouls on her and picked up her fifth foul by the 4:47 mark. Bates would connect with a "3" at the 5:13 mark as did freshman Nicole Frogner at the 3:15 mark that helped keep the Oles within striking distance. But each time the Tommies had an answer - usually in the form of Young or Johnson - that keeped the Oles at bay and enabled the Tommies to claim a tough 62-57 win.
Coming into this game, I thought it was imperative for St. Olaf to get out to a good start and junior PG Mackenzie Wolter did her part to make sure the Oles did; scoring inside at the 19:21 mark and also with a drive and finish at the 18:05 mark for a 4-2 St. Olaf lead. But the Tommies would quickly respond; thanks to sophomore reserve guard Kelly Brandenburg as she tied the game at 4-all with her pretty turnaround jump shot off the glass at the 15:15 mark and then put the Tommies ahead at the 14:30 mark with another short jumper. UST then proceeded to use a press and half-court trapping defense to try and take the Oles out of their offensive rythm which enabled the Tommies to go on a 6-0 push for a 12-6 lead by the 12:25 mark.
But St. Olaf was not going to be meek on their home floor. Junior Kirstee Rotty connected with a long jumper at the 11:57 mark and then it was junior post Erin Haglund's turn to grab the spotlight as she used her long, lanky body to score inside at the 11:23 and 10:49 marks to tie the game at 12-all. Then, it was UST's turn to respond as they went on a quick 7-0 push that was punctuated by willowy senior Ali Johnson's lay-up in transition where she was hammered in the process that helped put UST in the bonus by the 8:37 mark. But the Oles came right back with a push of their own as junior (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 7:19 mark and then Rotty knocked down a "3" from the left corner at the 6:07 mark to put the Oles back in front by a score of 20-19. Rotty then again connected with a jumper at the 5:34 mark and another O'Donoghue "3"; this one from the left wing - gave St. Olaf a 25-21 lead. With 3:12 left, Rotty then again connected with a "3" from the right corner this time for St. Olaf's largest lead at 29-23. UST was able to climb back closer towards the halftime break as senior Sarah Smith; playing with a heavy heart with the recent loss of her brother, scored inside with 2:43 left and again at the 1:13 mark with a turnaround jumper that cut the Ole lead to 29-27.
The beginning of the second half saw a continuation of this see-saw affair. Junior guard Kellie Ring nailed a "3" at the 17:08 mark but sophomore Addy Bates who hails from Nevada, Iowa, drained a "3" from the left wing at the 16:16 mark and a lay-up by Rotty shortly afterward again gave St. Olaf a six-point 36-30 lead. But the explosive and incredibly deep Tommies would then go on the decisive run that would point the way to ultimate victory. Smith again scored inside at the 13:56 mark and then sophomore sensation Taylor Young (who would have a monster second half) scored in transition at the 13:40 mark. Then it was Johnson with one of her patented "3's" at the 11:55 mark that put the Tommies up for good at 38-37. Perhaps just as important, UST again found themselves in the bonus early when Young was fouled at the 9:01 mark. Lay-ups by both Wolter and O'Donoghue kept the Oles close.
But UST was again coming at St. Olaf hard with their man-to-man "D" and half-court trapping/pressing that was forcing the Oles into several unforced errors and making life particularly difficult for Wolter as the Oles had a tough time finding any offensive rythm coming down the stretch. There were several possessions where the Oles found themselves with little time left on the shot clock and either had a shot blocked at the shot-clock buzzer or where time expired on them. Freshman Sheridan Blanford was able to score inside at the 5:42 mark but she already had four fouls on her and picked up her fifth foul by the 4:47 mark. Bates would connect with a "3" at the 5:13 mark as did freshman Nicole Frogner at the 3:15 mark that helped keep the Oles within striking distance. But each time the Tommies had an answer - usually in the form of Young or Johnson - that keeped the Oles at bay and enabled the Tommies to claim a tough 62-57 win.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
CSB vs Gustavus 12-10-11
Was down at St. Peter on this sunny but cold afternoon for the 3:00 P.M. clash between visting St. Bens and host Gustavus Adolphus. Gustavus has rebounded nicely after the tough loss to UST a week ago but it's been a rough roller coaster ride for the Blazers and things have become even more precarious for Mike Durbin's team as of late as senior PG Cassie Dorschner went down this last Wednesday night in the home victory over St. Kate's with a broken leg; an incredibly tough break for this young lady who had big plans for her and her team in her senior season.
Despite all that, there was a part of me that had mixed thoughts about how this game could go as CSB and GAC historically have had very close, very tough games before and last year the Blazers spanked the Gusties right there in Lund Arena. Then again, I knew that if there was ever a year where the Gusties might really take it to the Blazers, this would probably be the year. Just how much CSB already misses their senior PG became obvious early on as the Gusties raced to a 9-0 lead fueled by a finish by senior guard Ava Perry in transition to get things going; sophomore Eli Benz' basket inside; a "3" by senior Molly Geske, and a lay-up by junior Kelsey Florian. The Gustie lead bulged to as much as 15-2 before CSB junior Jamie Wollin temporarily stopped the bleeding with baskets at the 14:06 mark and 13:39 mark. But no matter how the Blazers tried to counter, Gustavus simply had too many weapons to let the Blazers in this contest. "3's" by junior Steph Comer and ever-improving sophomore Britta Rinke from the right corner got the Gusties to a 25-12 lead by the 9:53 mark and Florian's "3" at the 8:39 mark gave the Gusties a two-touchdown lead at 28-14 by the 8:39 mark. Things would only get worse for the red-clad Blazers coming down the stretch. Perry finished in transition again at the 6:07 mark and sophomore reserve guard Shelly Blashko nailed a "3" (her specialty) at the 3:01 mark that enabled the Gusties to take a commanding 44-21 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Blazers showed that they can still play with a lot of heart as they got off to a good start in the second half. Sophomore Brianna Barrett connected with a turnaround jumper and was fouled in the process and, although she missed the ensuing free throw, it gave the Blazers a flicker of hope. Junior Whitney Canton did make two freebies after being fouled at the 19:02 mark and Barrett snared a rebound and got a putback at the 18:14 mark. A "3" by Barrett from the right wing at the 17:45 mark and another "3" by freshman PG Jessica Fischer briefly kept the Blazers to within 20 but the Gusties then went on yet another onslaught. Geske made a pretty move and finish inside at the 14:47 mark and senior PG Colleen Ruane finished in transition at the 14:12 mark. Both Comer and Blashko swished "3's" at the 11:11 and 10:38 marks, respectively and junior reserve post Amanda Iverson got in on the act as well with a charity stripe basket and a score inside a bit later. Another "3" by the dimunitive Blashko from the left wing gave the Gusties their largest lead of the day at 69-39 by the 8:51 mark. The Blazers would cut into that bulge coming down the stretch; never quitting; never giving up but the Gusties had the ample cushion that they needed to cruise to an easy 81-64 win.
Perhaps the most encouraging thing for Gustavus on this day was that Head Coach Mickey Haller had ample opportunities to use her bench and give her reserves plenty of playing time which, IMHO, really helps this team as they do seem (for whatever reason) to get into a stagnated mode offensively from time to time. Players such as reserve senior Liz Shay, sophomore Abbey Arends (who has an incredibly bright future ahead of her at GAC), and fellow sophomore Julia Dysthie can all figure into the equation that helps to give Gustavus an incredibly deep bench. As for CSB, Head Coach Mike Durbin knows he has a very young team and with Dorschner now out of the mix with her injury, this will likely be a rebuilding year for the Blazers. But don't expect CSB to just lay down and wave the white flag for the rest of the season. They are well-coached and will always be dangerous on any given night.
Despite all that, there was a part of me that had mixed thoughts about how this game could go as CSB and GAC historically have had very close, very tough games before and last year the Blazers spanked the Gusties right there in Lund Arena. Then again, I knew that if there was ever a year where the Gusties might really take it to the Blazers, this would probably be the year. Just how much CSB already misses their senior PG became obvious early on as the Gusties raced to a 9-0 lead fueled by a finish by senior guard Ava Perry in transition to get things going; sophomore Eli Benz' basket inside; a "3" by senior Molly Geske, and a lay-up by junior Kelsey Florian. The Gustie lead bulged to as much as 15-2 before CSB junior Jamie Wollin temporarily stopped the bleeding with baskets at the 14:06 mark and 13:39 mark. But no matter how the Blazers tried to counter, Gustavus simply had too many weapons to let the Blazers in this contest. "3's" by junior Steph Comer and ever-improving sophomore Britta Rinke from the right corner got the Gusties to a 25-12 lead by the 9:53 mark and Florian's "3" at the 8:39 mark gave the Gusties a two-touchdown lead at 28-14 by the 8:39 mark. Things would only get worse for the red-clad Blazers coming down the stretch. Perry finished in transition again at the 6:07 mark and sophomore reserve guard Shelly Blashko nailed a "3" (her specialty) at the 3:01 mark that enabled the Gusties to take a commanding 44-21 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Blazers showed that they can still play with a lot of heart as they got off to a good start in the second half. Sophomore Brianna Barrett connected with a turnaround jumper and was fouled in the process and, although she missed the ensuing free throw, it gave the Blazers a flicker of hope. Junior Whitney Canton did make two freebies after being fouled at the 19:02 mark and Barrett snared a rebound and got a putback at the 18:14 mark. A "3" by Barrett from the right wing at the 17:45 mark and another "3" by freshman PG Jessica Fischer briefly kept the Blazers to within 20 but the Gusties then went on yet another onslaught. Geske made a pretty move and finish inside at the 14:47 mark and senior PG Colleen Ruane finished in transition at the 14:12 mark. Both Comer and Blashko swished "3's" at the 11:11 and 10:38 marks, respectively and junior reserve post Amanda Iverson got in on the act as well with a charity stripe basket and a score inside a bit later. Another "3" by the dimunitive Blashko from the left wing gave the Gusties their largest lead of the day at 69-39 by the 8:51 mark. The Blazers would cut into that bulge coming down the stretch; never quitting; never giving up but the Gusties had the ample cushion that they needed to cruise to an easy 81-64 win.
Perhaps the most encouraging thing for Gustavus on this day was that Head Coach Mickey Haller had ample opportunities to use her bench and give her reserves plenty of playing time which, IMHO, really helps this team as they do seem (for whatever reason) to get into a stagnated mode offensively from time to time. Players such as reserve senior Liz Shay, sophomore Abbey Arends (who has an incredibly bright future ahead of her at GAC), and fellow sophomore Julia Dysthie can all figure into the equation that helps to give Gustavus an incredibly deep bench. As for CSB, Head Coach Mike Durbin knows he has a very young team and with Dorschner now out of the mix with her injury, this will likely be a rebuilding year for the Blazers. But don't expect CSB to just lay down and wave the white flag for the rest of the season. They are well-coached and will always be dangerous on any given night.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Gustavus vs Augsburg 12-7-11
Was over at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall for this Wednesday evening clash between the host Auggies and the visiting Gusties from Gustavus. The Gusties were coming off the big win on the road at Carleton while Augsburg was still licking its wounds from the tough loss over at Bethel from Monday night.
It was the home team that got off to a good start in this one. Senior guard Lexi Thompson started things off with two charity stripe shots after getting fouled at the 19:05 mark. Baskets by senior Nikki Borkhuis at the 16:04 mark and sophomore reserve Kendra Ware helped push the Auggie lead to 9-2 but, in the process, junior standout Brittany Zins picked up two quick fouls that forced her to the pine by the 14:44 mark. Still, junior reserve sharp-shooter Katie Ahlstrom nailed a "3" from the top at the 11:23 mark for a 12-4 Auggie lead.
The Gusties finally picked up the tempo at the 11:02 mark when sophomore reserve PG Shelly Blashko connected from behind the arc. Ever-improving junior Kelsey Florian scored at the 10:22 mark and then sophomore Eli Benz muscled her way inside to score at the 9:39 mark to cut Augsburg's lead to 14-11 and another Benz score at the 7:36 mark cut the deficit to a scant one point. Gustavus took its first lead of the game at the 6:36 mark when Florian hit two freebies but junior forward/post Brittany Dyshaw put the Auggies right back on top with 5:52 left with her rebound and putback. But the Gusties would counter and take the lead for good when Florian scored inside with 2:02 left and upped their advantage when junior reserve post Amanda Iverson scored inside with a pretty move that allowed Gustavus to take a slim 26-23 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
Things would again stay close for the early part of the second half. Baskets by Dyshaw and Zins sandwiched a Benz score inside and then senior Ava Perry connected with a "3" from the left wing at the 17:28 mark for a 31-27 Gustie lead. Another "3" from senior PG Colleen Ruane from the left corner put the Gusties up 34-30 at the 15:56 mark but freshman Abbey Luger connected with a "3" of her own from the left wing that brought the Auggies back to within two.
The turning point of the game for the Gusties may have come around the 14:57 mark when Zins picked up foul #3 and, although she scored a bit later that again brought the Auggies to within two, the Gusties slowly began to take control. Sophomore reserve guard Julia Dysthie connected with a short jumper at the 13:50 mark and then connected with a huge "3" at the 12:32 mark that pushed the Gustie lead to 42-36. Another pretty move and finish off the glass by Iverson at the 10:24 mark gave the Gusties a 46-38 advantage.
Somewhat ironically, this is where both teams went in a perimeter scoring drought worse than the 1930's Dust Bowl that, in the end, hurt the Auggies much more than it hurt Gustavus. The Auggies had several chances to cut the lead and simply couldn't convert. Junior post Abby Rothenbuehler's two free throws at the 5:06 mark did push the Gustie lead to 49-40 and then Benz did the same with 3:40 left that gave Gustavus a ten-point cushion at 51-41. Ware valianty tried to bring Augsburg back with two big jumpers at the 3:13 mark and again with just 1:11 left but the Gusties had the advantage they needed. A late "3" by Zins wouldn't make much of a dent as the Gusties scratched and clawed their way to an ugly (but important) 58-48 win.
It was the home team that got off to a good start in this one. Senior guard Lexi Thompson started things off with two charity stripe shots after getting fouled at the 19:05 mark. Baskets by senior Nikki Borkhuis at the 16:04 mark and sophomore reserve Kendra Ware helped push the Auggie lead to 9-2 but, in the process, junior standout Brittany Zins picked up two quick fouls that forced her to the pine by the 14:44 mark. Still, junior reserve sharp-shooter Katie Ahlstrom nailed a "3" from the top at the 11:23 mark for a 12-4 Auggie lead.
The Gusties finally picked up the tempo at the 11:02 mark when sophomore reserve PG Shelly Blashko connected from behind the arc. Ever-improving junior Kelsey Florian scored at the 10:22 mark and then sophomore Eli Benz muscled her way inside to score at the 9:39 mark to cut Augsburg's lead to 14-11 and another Benz score at the 7:36 mark cut the deficit to a scant one point. Gustavus took its first lead of the game at the 6:36 mark when Florian hit two freebies but junior forward/post Brittany Dyshaw put the Auggies right back on top with 5:52 left with her rebound and putback. But the Gusties would counter and take the lead for good when Florian scored inside with 2:02 left and upped their advantage when junior reserve post Amanda Iverson scored inside with a pretty move that allowed Gustavus to take a slim 26-23 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
Things would again stay close for the early part of the second half. Baskets by Dyshaw and Zins sandwiched a Benz score inside and then senior Ava Perry connected with a "3" from the left wing at the 17:28 mark for a 31-27 Gustie lead. Another "3" from senior PG Colleen Ruane from the left corner put the Gusties up 34-30 at the 15:56 mark but freshman Abbey Luger connected with a "3" of her own from the left wing that brought the Auggies back to within two.
The turning point of the game for the Gusties may have come around the 14:57 mark when Zins picked up foul #3 and, although she scored a bit later that again brought the Auggies to within two, the Gusties slowly began to take control. Sophomore reserve guard Julia Dysthie connected with a short jumper at the 13:50 mark and then connected with a huge "3" at the 12:32 mark that pushed the Gustie lead to 42-36. Another pretty move and finish off the glass by Iverson at the 10:24 mark gave the Gusties a 46-38 advantage.
Somewhat ironically, this is where both teams went in a perimeter scoring drought worse than the 1930's Dust Bowl that, in the end, hurt the Auggies much more than it hurt Gustavus. The Auggies had several chances to cut the lead and simply couldn't convert. Junior post Abby Rothenbuehler's two free throws at the 5:06 mark did push the Gustie lead to 49-40 and then Benz did the same with 3:40 left that gave Gustavus a ten-point cushion at 51-41. Ware valianty tried to bring Augsburg back with two big jumpers at the 3:13 mark and again with just 1:11 left but the Gusties had the advantage they needed. A late "3" by Zins wouldn't make much of a dent as the Gusties scratched and clawed their way to an ugly (but important) 58-48 win.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Concordia vs St. Kate's & Augsburg vs Bethel Recaps
A busy Monday night found myself first over at St. Kate's to take in what I could of the 6:00 P.M. clash with visiting Concordia which had to be anxious to bounce back after getting beat up and bullied by suddenly-rising Augsburg this last Saturday. The Cobbers wasted little time taking control of this one early as sophomore post Alexandra Lippert scored twice within the first minute for a quick 4-0 lead. Junior Tricia Sorenson's "3" from the top at the 17:28 mark bulged the lead to 9-0 before freshman Sarah Mong finally got the 'Cats on the board at the 15:19 mark. But there would be no spirited comeback by St. Kate's on this night against a bigger and more talented Concordia squad. Freshman Alley Fisher banged home a "3" at the 14:10 mark as did Sorenson at the 13:36 mark. Sorenson also took a sweet back door pass at the 11:58 mark to score inside to build the Cobbers lead to 21-9. By the time I had to get going to head over to Bethel for their game with Augsburg, Concordia was safely up 37-19 and would never look back en route to 73-47 win which had to make the long trek back to Moorhead slightly more enjoyable.
I was up at Bethel to help out as a proud member of the Community Hoops "Sinister 6-Pack" to do coverage of the Augsburg vs Bethel tilt at 7:30. I was quite anxious to see this up-and-coming Augsburg squad that has already notched wins over both CSB and this last Saturday against Concordia. Augsburg is basically the same team as they were last year; they've always had decent talent there but new Head Coach Bill McKee has brought his own brand to this team and in the process has re-energized it as well. The first half was very tight although the Auggies were able to build a five-point advantage with just 3:44 left in the first half. In their two big wins, this is where Augsburg was able to open up the necessary distance to pull away for ultimate victory. But Bethel was able to respond and withstood the Auggie assault and quickly got even and was able to build a small 31-28 lead by the half. The challenge for Bethel in this game was to try and contain the 1-2-3- punch of Seranae Levine, Kendra Ware, and Brittany Zins who is quickly establishing herself as one of the top tier players in the conference.
But the Royals have a few weapons of their own in their arsenal; one of them obviously being senior sensation Taylor Sheley who was simply fantastic in the second half. Junior forward Kelly Swenson; known more for her defensive prowess also had good night making some key buckets down the stretch. After Swenson's layup off the glass at the 2:56 mark that appeared to put Bethel in control by a count of 59-51, the Auggies were able to make a quick 6-0 push that tightened things up again to 59-57 with just under a minute left. Augsburg had one more real opportunity left but junior Katie Ahlstrom's "3" point attempt missed that allowed the host Royals to ice the game away at the charity stripe for a huge 66-57 win and, just as important, move into first place in the MIAC with a 3-0 record.
I was up at Bethel to help out as a proud member of the Community Hoops "Sinister 6-Pack" to do coverage of the Augsburg vs Bethel tilt at 7:30. I was quite anxious to see this up-and-coming Augsburg squad that has already notched wins over both CSB and this last Saturday against Concordia. Augsburg is basically the same team as they were last year; they've always had decent talent there but new Head Coach Bill McKee has brought his own brand to this team and in the process has re-energized it as well. The first half was very tight although the Auggies were able to build a five-point advantage with just 3:44 left in the first half. In their two big wins, this is where Augsburg was able to open up the necessary distance to pull away for ultimate victory. But Bethel was able to respond and withstood the Auggie assault and quickly got even and was able to build a small 31-28 lead by the half. The challenge for Bethel in this game was to try and contain the 1-2-3- punch of Seranae Levine, Kendra Ware, and Brittany Zins who is quickly establishing herself as one of the top tier players in the conference.
But the Royals have a few weapons of their own in their arsenal; one of them obviously being senior sensation Taylor Sheley who was simply fantastic in the second half. Junior forward Kelly Swenson; known more for her defensive prowess also had good night making some key buckets down the stretch. After Swenson's layup off the glass at the 2:56 mark that appeared to put Bethel in control by a count of 59-51, the Auggies were able to make a quick 6-0 push that tightened things up again to 59-57 with just under a minute left. Augsburg had one more real opportunity left but junior Katie Ahlstrom's "3" point attempt missed that allowed the host Royals to ice the game away at the charity stripe for a huge 66-57 win and, just as important, move into first place in the MIAC with a 3-0 record.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Gustavus vs UST 12-3-11
After the wild affair at Hutton Arena, I then went back down Snelling and over Summit Avenue as well to St. Thomas to take in the much-anticipated nightcap between Gustavus and UST. In my own mind, I was hoping that the Gusties were ready to step up and take early control of the conference race but, as was plainly evident, they simply don't have the spectacular talent that Ruth Sinn's Tommies do.
Still, this one would be close early on. UST was trying to establish itself down low while GAC was using its strengths of speed, quickness and defense to force Tommie turnovers into easy baskets. After senior Molly Geske's jumper at the 7:15 mark that gave the Gusties a 21-20 lead, UST then proceeded to go on the decisive 10-0 run over the course of less than four minutes that proved to be the cushion they would need to go on to victory. The Gusties did manage to cut that lead to five points with just under a minute left when lanky junior post Abby Rothenbuehler connected with a jumper but timely baskets by reserve senior forward Haley Loesch and reserve senior post Sarah Smith once again pushed the lead back up to ten by the half by a count of 35-25.
Then, it was sophomore Taylor Young's turn to show off her stuff in the second half for the Tommies. Two free throws at the 18:37 mark and then a drive and finish along with getting fouled at the 17:23 mark plus the ensuing charity stripe shot really set the tone the rest of the way. Young would connect from behind the arc at the 14:08 mark and fellow senior MIAC three-point shooting Queen Ali Johnson's "3" at the 9:14 mark bulged the lead to 51-37. The Gusties would be able to make a couple of small pushes in the second half but nothing that ever was able to threaten the UST stranglehold. Geske did connect with a "3" from the left wing with 2:15 left to cut UST's advantage down to 61-54 as did junior Kelsey Florian with just .09.9 left but the Tommies were able to ice this one away from the free throw line as they won 69-60. Despite the run that UST had in the first half, the Gusties still had opportunities but missed several short shots that could have been worth 10-12 points. There will always be the officiating aspect and there was one truly HORRIBLE call on Rothenbuehler as she appeared to have scored and get fouled but was instead whistled for one herself that might have changed the complexion of the game somewhat. In the end, GAC, if they want to entertain thoughts about winning the conference, has to find a way to STEP UP and MAKE big plays; especially when playing a team like UST which has arguably made GAC their little "you know what" over the last couple of seasons.
Still, this one would be close early on. UST was trying to establish itself down low while GAC was using its strengths of speed, quickness and defense to force Tommie turnovers into easy baskets. After senior Molly Geske's jumper at the 7:15 mark that gave the Gusties a 21-20 lead, UST then proceeded to go on the decisive 10-0 run over the course of less than four minutes that proved to be the cushion they would need to go on to victory. The Gusties did manage to cut that lead to five points with just under a minute left when lanky junior post Abby Rothenbuehler connected with a jumper but timely baskets by reserve senior forward Haley Loesch and reserve senior post Sarah Smith once again pushed the lead back up to ten by the half by a count of 35-25.
Then, it was sophomore Taylor Young's turn to show off her stuff in the second half for the Tommies. Two free throws at the 18:37 mark and then a drive and finish along with getting fouled at the 17:23 mark plus the ensuing charity stripe shot really set the tone the rest of the way. Young would connect from behind the arc at the 14:08 mark and fellow senior MIAC three-point shooting Queen Ali Johnson's "3" at the 9:14 mark bulged the lead to 51-37. The Gusties would be able to make a couple of small pushes in the second half but nothing that ever was able to threaten the UST stranglehold. Geske did connect with a "3" from the left wing with 2:15 left to cut UST's advantage down to 61-54 as did junior Kelsey Florian with just .09.9 left but the Tommies were able to ice this one away from the free throw line as they won 69-60. Despite the run that UST had in the first half, the Gusties still had opportunities but missed several short shots that could have been worth 10-12 points. There will always be the officiating aspect and there was one truly HORRIBLE call on Rothenbuehler as she appeared to have scored and get fouled but was instead whistled for one herself that might have changed the complexion of the game somewhat. In the end, GAC, if they want to entertain thoughts about winning the conference, has to find a way to STEP UP and MAKE big plays; especially when playing a team like UST which has arguably made GAC their little "you know what" over the last couple of seasons.
Bethel vs Macalester & St. Kate's vs Hamline Roundups
Saturday, December 3 was an incredibly busy day as I took in THREE MIAC games. First, I was over at Macalester's Leonard Center as the host Scots took on northern St. Paul neighbor Bethel. I was basically only able to stay for a half as I had to leave early in the second half to get over to Hamline to get ready for their home game against St. Kate's as I did color commentary with Mike Peden. In any event, the highlight of the Bethel - Macalester game was senior guard Taylor Sheley notching her 1,000th career point as a Bethel Royal. It took Sheley a bit to get started but she finally got it at the 6:45 mark with a drive and finish and, with family and friends in attendance, the moment proved to be very special - except for the host Scots who again got off to a good start in this one only to see their advantage evaporate. They were holding a 15-9 lead by the 13:18 mark when senior Shannon Rene nailed a "3" from the left corner and maintaned that advantage when senior post Holly Schiedermayer was able to score inside at the 9:17 mark for a 21-16 lead. But the Royals soon closed the gap when Sheley got untracked as mentioned above and then Sheley again with another drive and finish at the 6:04 mark. Sheley then nailed a "3" from the left wing at the 3:41 mark and in another grand moment for the willowy blonde from Backus, she nailed a "3" as time was about to expire in the first half - off the glass no less - as the Royals took a 31-29 lead into the locker room at halftime - a lead that the Royals would not relinquish the rest of the way in their win over Macalester.
But even Sheley's antics could not have prepared me for the wild affair I was about to take in over at Hamline as they hosted a VERY young but feisty St. Kate's team that doesn't know the meaning of quit. Even while doing color commentary with Mike Peden, you knew this one had the makings of a shootout. Both teams played at a fast pace and the Wildcats had to battle back from ten-point deficits not once but twice. Coming down the stretch in regulation, it appeared that St. Kate's had the inside track to pull off the improbable upset but Hamline freshman sensation Jordan Sammons twice had to come to the rescue. In the first overtime, once again it appeared that St. Kate's might pull it out and, in fact, came very close to winning it when freshman Sarina Baker's drive at reverse lay-up attempt barely fell off the rim. In the second OT, Hamline finally started making free throws and wound up winning an exhausting contest by a score of 106-100.
But even Sheley's antics could not have prepared me for the wild affair I was about to take in over at Hamline as they hosted a VERY young but feisty St. Kate's team that doesn't know the meaning of quit. Even while doing color commentary with Mike Peden, you knew this one had the makings of a shootout. Both teams played at a fast pace and the Wildcats had to battle back from ten-point deficits not once but twice. Coming down the stretch in regulation, it appeared that St. Kate's had the inside track to pull off the improbable upset but Hamline freshman sensation Jordan Sammons twice had to come to the rescue. In the first overtime, once again it appeared that St. Kate's might pull it out and, in fact, came very close to winning it when freshman Sarina Baker's drive at reverse lay-up attempt barely fell off the rim. In the second OT, Hamline finally started making free throws and wound up winning an exhausting contest by a score of 106-100.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Bethel vs St. Kate's 11-30-11
I hurried over to St. Kate's Butler Center to take in what I could of the Bethel - St. Kate's game that started at 7:30 on this night. I got there at halftime and saw that Bethel had a commanding three-touchdown lead on the host Wildcats of 42-21.
Still, this young, feisty St. Kate's team did not lay down coming out of the locker room as they proceeded to go on a 10-2 run to start the second half that gave the home fans some hope but those hopes were quickly dashed after Bethel Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer called a time-out to get his squad settled down. Sophomore Nicole Berscheid nailed a "3" from the right corner at the 16:53 mark and athletic junior Kelly Swenson scored in transition to build the lead back up to 16 at 51-35 by the 13:53 mark. Senior sensation Taylor Sheley nailed a "3" from the top at the 11:40 mark as the lead bulged back up to 56-35 and sophomore guard Micaella Petrich scored at the 11:09 mark as the Royals regained that 21-point margin. Bethel even increased that margin when freshman Katelyn Thomsen knocked down a "3" at the 10:23 mark and Swenson snared a steal and got a lay-up out of it at the 7:01 mark that enabled Bethel to cruise to a 72-57 win.
Still, this is a fun St. Kate's team to watch and although Head Coach Gary Rufsvold has a lot of work in front of him, there is definitely hope for the future even with the loss of Laura Kalbfell, Sonja Ellingson, and Quin Halverson who were all in attendance last night watching their former team. Freshman Jule Muegge (formerly of Hopkins) is an outstanding player and, although she has some mechanical work to do on some of her shots, she has the ability, IMHO, to be the MIAC MVP in the next year or so - she is that good. Also fun to watch is 5'2" freshman PG Tiffani Pak; fresh out of Lowell High School in San Francisco. Pak, just 16 years old, is not only smart but quicker than smoke and tough to guard. Her youth may work against her at the moment but she will get better as time goes on. Also, this Wildcat team has the injury bugaboo to deal with again as both sophomore Madison Pertler and senior guard Megan Zillmer were out with injuries (although Zillmer told me that she's hopeful she'll be back by PERHAPS this weekend). Wildcat faithful have to be patient as this could be a long year in terms of the won-loss column but it will be fun to watch this team grow, mesh, and get better in the process.
Still, this young, feisty St. Kate's team did not lay down coming out of the locker room as they proceeded to go on a 10-2 run to start the second half that gave the home fans some hope but those hopes were quickly dashed after Bethel Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer called a time-out to get his squad settled down. Sophomore Nicole Berscheid nailed a "3" from the right corner at the 16:53 mark and athletic junior Kelly Swenson scored in transition to build the lead back up to 16 at 51-35 by the 13:53 mark. Senior sensation Taylor Sheley nailed a "3" from the top at the 11:40 mark as the lead bulged back up to 56-35 and sophomore guard Micaella Petrich scored at the 11:09 mark as the Royals regained that 21-point margin. Bethel even increased that margin when freshman Katelyn Thomsen knocked down a "3" at the 10:23 mark and Swenson snared a steal and got a lay-up out of it at the 7:01 mark that enabled Bethel to cruise to a 72-57 win.
Still, this is a fun St. Kate's team to watch and although Head Coach Gary Rufsvold has a lot of work in front of him, there is definitely hope for the future even with the loss of Laura Kalbfell, Sonja Ellingson, and Quin Halverson who were all in attendance last night watching their former team. Freshman Jule Muegge (formerly of Hopkins) is an outstanding player and, although she has some mechanical work to do on some of her shots, she has the ability, IMHO, to be the MIAC MVP in the next year or so - she is that good. Also fun to watch is 5'2" freshman PG Tiffani Pak; fresh out of Lowell High School in San Francisco. Pak, just 16 years old, is not only smart but quicker than smoke and tough to guard. Her youth may work against her at the moment but she will get better as time goes on. Also, this Wildcat team has the injury bugaboo to deal with again as both sophomore Madison Pertler and senior guard Megan Zillmer were out with injuries (although Zillmer told me that she's hopeful she'll be back by PERHAPS this weekend). Wildcat faithful have to be patient as this could be a long year in terms of the won-loss column but it will be fun to watch this team grow, mesh, and get better in the process.
Concordia vs Macalester 11-30-11
Was over at Macalester's Leonard Center's for this evening's 5:45 P.M. clash between the visiting Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers and the host Scots. I was anxious to see this new Concordia team without the likes of Erica Nord, Lindsey Schultz, Brittany Jossart, et al, and how they would fare against a Macalester team that can be very, very dangerous at times.
Predictably, it was Shannon Rene who got things going for the home team as she canned a jumper for a 2-0 lead at the 18:14 mark but, just as predictably, the Cobbers looked for their big gal, 6'4" sophomore post Alexandra Lippert to get them on the board and she did at the 17:00 mark. Macalester would be able to make a bit of a push that was fueled by Jessica Rene's "3" from the left wing at the 13:33 mark for an 8-4 lead but the Cobbers would come right back behind scores from Lippert and reserve sophomore post Kelsey Walloch to knot the issue at 8-all a little more than a minute later. Senior Maggie Wood would nail a "3" of her own at the 10:37 mark for the Scots but so would junior Emily Thesing at the 8:31 mark. The Scots would make one more push behind Jessica Rene's "3" that enabled Macalester to build a 20-15 lead by the 7:17 mark.
That would be about as good as it would get for the host Scots as they watched this young but good Concordia team go on a 15-0 run which is so typical for a Jessica Rahman-coached team. Lippert scored consecutive baskets at the 6:51 and 6:19 mark and then padded her scoring at the 3:23 mark. Junior Tricia Sorenson knocked down a "3" from the left top at the 2:03 mark that sandwiched some fine work by freshman Katelyn Holland that gave the Cobbers a 30-20 lead. Another lay-up by senior reserve Mary-Michael Vance enabled the Cobbers to go into the locker room at the half in control with a 32-23 lead.
But Macalester Head Coach Ellen Thompson would not let her team go out with a whimper. Jessica Rene nailed a "3" at the 19:15 mark of the second half and junior PG Kyana Jones got a lay-up a bit later that suddenly cut the Concordia lead to only 32-29. But one of the hallmarks of a Concordia team is that they are mentally tough and do not get rattled. Thesing calmly swished a "3" at the 18:36 mark and Lippert made one free throw at the 17:49 mark that halted this Macalester push. The Scots would again cut the Cobber lead down to a scant three-point advantage thanks to Jessica Rene's jumper and Woods' steal and lay-up but again Concordia would calmly respond as they would go on a 12-2 run that effectively extinguished Macalester's hope for a comeback. Despite Lippert picking up her fourth foul by the 8:23 mark and Jones nailing a "3" at the 6:49 mark to briefly get the Scots back to within single digits, the Cobbers were in firm control down the stretch. Macalester offered up a brief ray of hope when Jessica Rene canned another "3" at the 4:46 mark but the Cobbers would be able to pad their lead from the charity stripe down the stretch for a final tally of 63-51.
A disappointed Ellen Thompson explained to me that she felt her team simply didn't hit enough shots which is true; they did not convert on some key lay-up attempts and you could also argue that the Rene Sisters had something of an off-night. I think a lot of credit has to go to the Cobber defensive efforts that can make life miserable for any team and both Lippert and Jessica Rahman echoed those sentiments to me afterward. As Rahman explained, this team does have experience playing - just not playing TOGETHER - yet. When they get that, this Cobber team will be tough to beat.
Predictably, it was Shannon Rene who got things going for the home team as she canned a jumper for a 2-0 lead at the 18:14 mark but, just as predictably, the Cobbers looked for their big gal, 6'4" sophomore post Alexandra Lippert to get them on the board and she did at the 17:00 mark. Macalester would be able to make a bit of a push that was fueled by Jessica Rene's "3" from the left wing at the 13:33 mark for an 8-4 lead but the Cobbers would come right back behind scores from Lippert and reserve sophomore post Kelsey Walloch to knot the issue at 8-all a little more than a minute later. Senior Maggie Wood would nail a "3" of her own at the 10:37 mark for the Scots but so would junior Emily Thesing at the 8:31 mark. The Scots would make one more push behind Jessica Rene's "3" that enabled Macalester to build a 20-15 lead by the 7:17 mark.
That would be about as good as it would get for the host Scots as they watched this young but good Concordia team go on a 15-0 run which is so typical for a Jessica Rahman-coached team. Lippert scored consecutive baskets at the 6:51 and 6:19 mark and then padded her scoring at the 3:23 mark. Junior Tricia Sorenson knocked down a "3" from the left top at the 2:03 mark that sandwiched some fine work by freshman Katelyn Holland that gave the Cobbers a 30-20 lead. Another lay-up by senior reserve Mary-Michael Vance enabled the Cobbers to go into the locker room at the half in control with a 32-23 lead.
But Macalester Head Coach Ellen Thompson would not let her team go out with a whimper. Jessica Rene nailed a "3" at the 19:15 mark of the second half and junior PG Kyana Jones got a lay-up a bit later that suddenly cut the Concordia lead to only 32-29. But one of the hallmarks of a Concordia team is that they are mentally tough and do not get rattled. Thesing calmly swished a "3" at the 18:36 mark and Lippert made one free throw at the 17:49 mark that halted this Macalester push. The Scots would again cut the Cobber lead down to a scant three-point advantage thanks to Jessica Rene's jumper and Woods' steal and lay-up but again Concordia would calmly respond as they would go on a 12-2 run that effectively extinguished Macalester's hope for a comeback. Despite Lippert picking up her fourth foul by the 8:23 mark and Jones nailing a "3" at the 6:49 mark to briefly get the Scots back to within single digits, the Cobbers were in firm control down the stretch. Macalester offered up a brief ray of hope when Jessica Rene canned another "3" at the 4:46 mark but the Cobbers would be able to pad their lead from the charity stripe down the stretch for a final tally of 63-51.
A disappointed Ellen Thompson explained to me that she felt her team simply didn't hit enough shots which is true; they did not convert on some key lay-up attempts and you could also argue that the Rene Sisters had something of an off-night. I think a lot of credit has to go to the Cobber defensive efforts that can make life miserable for any team and both Lippert and Jessica Rahman echoed those sentiments to me afterward. As Rahman explained, this team does have experience playing - just not playing TOGETHER - yet. When they get that, this Cobber team will be tough to beat.
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