Was over at Robertson Center on this Tuesday night of Beat Stanford week - and two days shy of Thanksgiving as well - to take in this important WIAC-MIAC clash between visiting UW-River Falls and host Bethel. With conference play looming just around the corner for both squads, this game would be an opportunity to fine tune some items that still needed working on. On another front, I was curious to see what improvements the Falcons had made since I had last seen them in action early in the month at Augsburg.
It would be UW-River Falls getting off to a good start in this one as the Falcons managed to grab a 5-2 lead by the 16:50 mark thanks to a "3" from the right corner by lanky freshman post Taylor Karge and an offensive rebound for a putback by sophomore forward Kate Theisen. Bethel would climb right back into the thick of things as a score in the paint by junior post Rachel Parupsky and a jumper along the right baseline by junior guard Hannah Niewald at the 15:55 mark coupled with a score in the paint by sophomore forward Kalli Zimmerman that got her fouled and allowed her to sink the obligatory freebie knotted the issue at 7-all by the 14:24 mark. Things would stay tight for the next four minutes with both teams trading two point leads. Bethel took a 13-11 lead on reserve sophomore guard Shanni Moorse's lay-up at the 11:24 mark by a lay-up by Falcon reserve sophomore guard Hannah Pignato had the issue tied at 13 at the 10:19 mark.
Both teams went on a dry spell over the next two and a half minutes until a score in the paint by Karge and an offensive rebound and putback by junior guard Richell Mehus put UW-River Falls back up by four at 17-13 with 6:57 left. But, just as they had earlier in this first half, the Royals would strike back. Zimmerman connected on a lay-up in transition and was fouled in the process and the ensuing charity stripe shot cut the Falcons lead to 17-16. Zimmerman did a repeat performance less than a minute later - and got fouled again and connected with the free throw to now put Bethel up 19-17 with 5:44 left. Parupsky snared an offensive rebound for a putback a minute later for a 21-17 Royal advantage and UW-River Falls Head Coach Cindy Holbrook called for a timeout to discuss things with her squad. The timeout helped the Falcons stay at least within striking distance. Karge sank two freebies after getting fouled with 4:17 left and a pretty move and finish with just :00.7 left by the Mankato East product negated an offensive rebound and putback by Bethel junior reserve guard Lexi Friesen before that as Bethel held a slim 25-22 edge at the halftime break.
Things would stay close in the opening minutes of the second half as well. A free throw by Theisen at the 19:33 mark and a score by Mehus in the paint at the 18:56 mark tied the score at 25. But two Parupsky scores in the paint - one at the 16:09 mark and another one at the 15:06 mark off a pretty bounce pass from Niewald - seemed to propel the Royals as they embarked on a 9-2 run as a steal and lay-up the other way by junior guard Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz and a "3" from the left corner by freshman reserve guard Angie Kirchoff had Bethel up 34-27 at the 13:10 mark. The Falcons momentarily cut the lead down to four trailing 34-30 but two free throws by senior reserve post Lindy Parker along with yet another Parupsky score in the paint and a lay-up in transition by Schultz now had Bethel up 40-30 at the 10:49 mark and UW-River Falls' Holbrook; fearful that this one was slipping away from her squad, called another halt to the action.
The Royals increased their lead to as much as fourteen points with 8:17 left when Niewald buried a "3" from the right wing area for a 48-34 advantage and, despite some stabs and jabs here and there from the Falcons that slightly closed the gap, Bethel appeared to be in firm control of this one coming down the stretch. UW-River Falls would make last-gasp attempt to draw close again, however - and nearly did. Sophomore guard Jessie Van Wyhe made a pretty spin move for a reverse lay-up underneath the basket for the Falcons with 5:29 left and then freshman reserve post Haley Rau connected on a lay-up in transition with 3:50 left to get UW-River Falls back to within single digits trailing 50-42. Still, the Falcons were now forced to foul to preserve as much clock time as possible but the normal Bethel charity stripe reliables - Niewald and Zimmerman - both missed front end attempts; much to the chagrin of Bethel Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer. A Karge score in the paint drew UW-River Falls to within six trailing 50-44 with 2:43 left. Zimmerman was fouled soon thereafter and her two freebies had the Royals back up 52-44. Whatever hope the Falcons had left appeared to snuffed out for good as the Royals employed tough man-to-man defense on a UW-River Falls inbounds pass attempt that resulted in a five-second violation. Free throws by both Kirchoff and Niewald had Bethel back up 55-44 with 1:19 left but UW-River Falls was not dead yet. Free throws by Karge with 1:05 and :52.4 left along with a "3" by Van Wyhe from the left corner with :45.2 left put one last scare in the Royals. Bethel, now in the double-bonus, would not let the Falcons get any closer. Free throws by Niewald and Kirchoff negated a score in the paint by Karge after a Falcon steal as the Royals claimed a tough non-conference win by a final tally of 60-54.
A happy but guarded Herbrechtsmeyer knew how important this win was afterward as he admitted that his squad was not yet ready for MIAC play and needed to be tested. "I challenged the kids before this one to step up and bring the intensity level up that's needed in conference play" and he felt that they did that - for the most part anyway though you can bet he'll have something to say in practice about the squad's paltry 2-18 from behind the arc for the game and equally alarming 13-22 from the charity stripe in the second half. Fortunately for the Royals, UW-River Falls wasn't that much better from three-point land either; going 3-10 for the game. While Holbrook admitted that progress has been made since the scrimmage with Augsburg, there remains much to be done. "We didn't always make good decisions with the ball out there" she lamented afterward and also pointed out some of the questionable shooting decisions her squad made from time to time. Still, this is an incredibly young team with only one junior, three freshmen and eleven sophomores. There are still some inevitable growing pains this squad is going to have to endure over the short-haul but the long-term prospects are bright and it's only a matter of time before the Falcons are right in the thick of things in the WIAC.
Los Angeles Rams
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Friday, November 21, 2014
Northwestern vs Bethel 11-18-14
Made my way over to Bethel's Robertson Center on this Tuesday night of Beat 'SC Week to take in the season opener (for me anyway!) between host Bethel and nearby Northwestern which made the short hop up Snelling Avenue. Given that the Royals were coming off a 20-win season and the Eagles were coming off a UMAC Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament I expected a close and competitive game. And I certainly wasn't disappointed.
Northwestern started off the contest - expectedly so - in their match-up zone; presumably to try and clog up the middle and force the Royals to beat them from the perimeter. But that didn't seem to faze Bethel; at least in the early going. Two scores by sophomore forward Kalli Zimmerman in the first three minutes along with an offensive rebound and putback by junior center Rachel Parupsky and a jumper from the left corner by junior guard Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz had the Royals up 8-2 by the 16:24 mark and a lay-up by Zimmerman at the 16:01 marked upped that advantage to 10-2 and had Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl calling a timeout to get his troops reorganized. But the break in the action had a positive effect on the Eagles as the slowly but surely clawed their way back into the thick of things. Lanky sophomore reserve post Rachel Hart maneuvered into the paint for one score at the 15:29 mark and she struck again at the 14:02 mark and got fouled in the process and the ensuing free throw had Northwestern trailing by six at 13-7. A free throw by Bethel's Zimmerman a few seconds later upped the Royals lead to 14-7 but then Eagle senior sharp-shooting guard Chanel Madson let loose with a "3" from the right corner at got fouled in the process and her free throw completed a four-point play that suddenly had Northwestern to within three trailing 14-11. Junior transfer post Regan Cooper was fouled in a transition opportunity for the Eagles and her two freebies brought Northwestern to within one at the 11:45 mark. Sophomore reserve forward Emily Van Lith gave the Eagles their first lead of the game at 15-14 with her offensive rebound and putback at the 11:21 mark and that advantage that Bethel had early on in this game had vanished into thin air.
The Royals seemed to recover somewhat as a score in the paint by the always-reliable Zimmerman that got her fouled in the process and allowed her to sink the obligatory free throw put Bethel back out in front 16-15. The Royals increased the lead to 18-15 on a Parupsky score in the paint with 10:08 left but Northwestern would hang tough and battle right back. A drive and finish by sophomore guard Tiffany Stubbs with 9:48 left coupled with a free throw by exciting new freshman guard Amy Berglund had the Eagles within two trailing 20-18 with 7:47 left. Madson's "3" from the right top area with 7:43 left put Northwestern back out in front 21-20 and that lead would increase to as much as 25-20 with 6:05 left thanks to a Berglund lay-up and a lay-up by Madson on a pretty give-and-go play. But Bethel refused to break out the panic button and instead fought their way back into things the same way Northwestern had to early on. With 5:22 left, Zimmerman snared a steal and dashed the other way for an easy lay-up and then senior forward Kailey Eid was sent to the line to shoot freebies with 3:25 left that had the Royals back to within one trailing 25-24. Lanky senior reserve post Jacki Smith; fresh off a successful volleyball season for the Eagles; put Northwestern back up by three with her offensive rebound and putback with 2:53 left but Bethel was able to counter with 2:42 left when reserve freshman guard Angie Kirchoff banged home a "3" that knotted the score at 27-all. The Royals would then inch back out in front in the final two minutes as junior guard Hannah Niewald connected on a drive into the paint with :56 left and Schultz did likewise on a lay-up in transition with :42 left that had Bethel up 33-29. Another Madson trey; this one from the left wing with :16 left brought the Eagles to within one but Zimmerman was able to give the Royals a three-point 35-32 edge at the half with her two charity stripe shots with just :04.2 left.
The Royals got off on another good start once the second half got underway; embarking on a 6-0 burst fueled by a Zimmerman score in the paint at the 19:09 mark and a Zimmerman steal and basket at the 18:21 mark for a 41-32 lead but that was countered by a 5-0 push by Northwestern as Madson was fouled behind the arc at the 17:37 mark that allowed her to drop three freebies and a Cooper lay-up at the 17:02 mark brought the Eagles to within four trailing 41-37 and Bethel Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer; not liking the look of how this was unfolding, called a timeout to halt this potential run. Northwestern was still able to get to within one when Madson was fouled on a lay-up and made the obligatory free throw but Bethel's Zimmerman did the same on the other end at the 15:20 mark and a Parupsky score in the paint at the 14:45 mark made it a six-point 46-40 Royal lead and now Northwestern's Aaron Kahl called a timeout to talk it over with his Eagle squad. Bethel, however, would increase their lead to as much as ten points by the 11:15 mark thanks to scores by Eid, Zimmerman and Kirchoff and with a 52-42 lead, it looked as if Bethel had finally established control of this one.
The Royals grabbed their largest lead of the evening - a twelve-point 58-46 lead - with 8:59 left thanks to a timely "3" by junior reserve guard Lexi Friesen from the top of the key back at the 10:36 mark but Northwestern was far from finished. Freshman reserve guard Jessica Cole's jumper from the top of the key just inside the arc with 9:20 left along with a scores in the paint by both Smith and Cooper had the Eagles back to within single digits trailing 58-50 with 8:22 left. Then, a 5-0 push by Northwestern fueled by two Stubbs freebies and a Cooper lay-up sliced Bethels lead down to five at 60-55 with 5:39 left. Bethel had reason to be even more nervous once the Eagles got into the double-bonus with 4:17 left. Two Cooper freebies and a pretty jump shot by Smith along the left baseline drew Northwestern to within three trailing 62-59 with 3:35 left. Bethel tried to stem the Eagle tide but their normally-reliable three-point bombers suddenly went stone-cold. A Madson lay-up with 2:48 left now had Northwestern within two trailing 63-61 and, despite on a night when the Eagles were guilty of numerous turnovers, Northwestern now was in position to steal an important non-conference game on an opponents floor.
Alas, the Eagles would fall just short. Zimmerman was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback with 1:21 left that upped the Bethel lead to 65-61 and then Friesen finally shook off some cobwebs and nailed a "3" from the right corner with exactly 1:00 left for a seemingly insurmountable 68-61 advantage. Still, the Eagles would not call it a night just yet. Berglund made one free throw after getting fouled with :48.4 left but would not get a crack at a second because of a Northwestern lane violation. Trailing 69-62, Smith; who had just finished up with volleyball season and really had little if any practice time shooting from long-range, uncorked a "3" from the right wing area with :27 left that cut the Bethel lead to 69-65. The Eagles had to immediately foul and Stubbs tabbed Bethel's Niewald to go to the charity stripe. Niewald was only able to get one freebie to go down and Northwestern still had life. Berglund was able to make a drive and connect with a lay-up with just :10 left on the clock that now had the Eagles within a single possession trailing 70-67. Smith immediately fouled Niewald and the Fridley product went to the charity stripe again to presumably ice this game for Bethel once and for all. But Niewald's freebie missed it's mark and Smith was there with her long arms to snare the rebound for Northwestern. The Eagles hustled down the floor with scant seconds left but just when they were trying to get somebody in position to take a "3" to send this one into overtime, Zimmerman came through to save the day for Bethel as she snared a steal with just :01.7 left to seal the deal and the Royals escaped a close one in their home opener with a 70-67 victory.
A disappointed but upbeat Kahl attributed this defeat to turnovers - 31 in all - that might make many coaches lose a lot of sleep. Still, Kahl seemed to take a lot of positives out of this one going forward; particularly Cooper's 13 points on this night coupled with Smith's nine rebounds. Herbrechtsmeyer was happy with the win but reserved as well. He pointed out the 3 of 23 shooting from behind the arc and admitted that his squad won't go very far with shooting nights like that. Still, Parupsky had a solid night with a double-double (11 rebounds and 12 points) and Niewald surprising grabbed seven rebounds herself. No doubt, the Royals will have to smooth out some of the rough spots (free throw shooting among them) but this squad should be in pretty decent shape going through the rest of the early part of the season.
Northwestern started off the contest - expectedly so - in their match-up zone; presumably to try and clog up the middle and force the Royals to beat them from the perimeter. But that didn't seem to faze Bethel; at least in the early going. Two scores by sophomore forward Kalli Zimmerman in the first three minutes along with an offensive rebound and putback by junior center Rachel Parupsky and a jumper from the left corner by junior guard Sydney "Bam Bam" Schultz had the Royals up 8-2 by the 16:24 mark and a lay-up by Zimmerman at the 16:01 marked upped that advantage to 10-2 and had Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl calling a timeout to get his troops reorganized. But the break in the action had a positive effect on the Eagles as the slowly but surely clawed their way back into the thick of things. Lanky sophomore reserve post Rachel Hart maneuvered into the paint for one score at the 15:29 mark and she struck again at the 14:02 mark and got fouled in the process and the ensuing free throw had Northwestern trailing by six at 13-7. A free throw by Bethel's Zimmerman a few seconds later upped the Royals lead to 14-7 but then Eagle senior sharp-shooting guard Chanel Madson let loose with a "3" from the right corner at got fouled in the process and her free throw completed a four-point play that suddenly had Northwestern to within three trailing 14-11. Junior transfer post Regan Cooper was fouled in a transition opportunity for the Eagles and her two freebies brought Northwestern to within one at the 11:45 mark. Sophomore reserve forward Emily Van Lith gave the Eagles their first lead of the game at 15-14 with her offensive rebound and putback at the 11:21 mark and that advantage that Bethel had early on in this game had vanished into thin air.
The Royals seemed to recover somewhat as a score in the paint by the always-reliable Zimmerman that got her fouled in the process and allowed her to sink the obligatory free throw put Bethel back out in front 16-15. The Royals increased the lead to 18-15 on a Parupsky score in the paint with 10:08 left but Northwestern would hang tough and battle right back. A drive and finish by sophomore guard Tiffany Stubbs with 9:48 left coupled with a free throw by exciting new freshman guard Amy Berglund had the Eagles within two trailing 20-18 with 7:47 left. Madson's "3" from the right top area with 7:43 left put Northwestern back out in front 21-20 and that lead would increase to as much as 25-20 with 6:05 left thanks to a Berglund lay-up and a lay-up by Madson on a pretty give-and-go play. But Bethel refused to break out the panic button and instead fought their way back into things the same way Northwestern had to early on. With 5:22 left, Zimmerman snared a steal and dashed the other way for an easy lay-up and then senior forward Kailey Eid was sent to the line to shoot freebies with 3:25 left that had the Royals back to within one trailing 25-24. Lanky senior reserve post Jacki Smith; fresh off a successful volleyball season for the Eagles; put Northwestern back up by three with her offensive rebound and putback with 2:53 left but Bethel was able to counter with 2:42 left when reserve freshman guard Angie Kirchoff banged home a "3" that knotted the score at 27-all. The Royals would then inch back out in front in the final two minutes as junior guard Hannah Niewald connected on a drive into the paint with :56 left and Schultz did likewise on a lay-up in transition with :42 left that had Bethel up 33-29. Another Madson trey; this one from the left wing with :16 left brought the Eagles to within one but Zimmerman was able to give the Royals a three-point 35-32 edge at the half with her two charity stripe shots with just :04.2 left.
The Royals got off on another good start once the second half got underway; embarking on a 6-0 burst fueled by a Zimmerman score in the paint at the 19:09 mark and a Zimmerman steal and basket at the 18:21 mark for a 41-32 lead but that was countered by a 5-0 push by Northwestern as Madson was fouled behind the arc at the 17:37 mark that allowed her to drop three freebies and a Cooper lay-up at the 17:02 mark brought the Eagles to within four trailing 41-37 and Bethel Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer; not liking the look of how this was unfolding, called a timeout to halt this potential run. Northwestern was still able to get to within one when Madson was fouled on a lay-up and made the obligatory free throw but Bethel's Zimmerman did the same on the other end at the 15:20 mark and a Parupsky score in the paint at the 14:45 mark made it a six-point 46-40 Royal lead and now Northwestern's Aaron Kahl called a timeout to talk it over with his Eagle squad. Bethel, however, would increase their lead to as much as ten points by the 11:15 mark thanks to scores by Eid, Zimmerman and Kirchoff and with a 52-42 lead, it looked as if Bethel had finally established control of this one.
The Royals grabbed their largest lead of the evening - a twelve-point 58-46 lead - with 8:59 left thanks to a timely "3" by junior reserve guard Lexi Friesen from the top of the key back at the 10:36 mark but Northwestern was far from finished. Freshman reserve guard Jessica Cole's jumper from the top of the key just inside the arc with 9:20 left along with a scores in the paint by both Smith and Cooper had the Eagles back to within single digits trailing 58-50 with 8:22 left. Then, a 5-0 push by Northwestern fueled by two Stubbs freebies and a Cooper lay-up sliced Bethels lead down to five at 60-55 with 5:39 left. Bethel had reason to be even more nervous once the Eagles got into the double-bonus with 4:17 left. Two Cooper freebies and a pretty jump shot by Smith along the left baseline drew Northwestern to within three trailing 62-59 with 3:35 left. Bethel tried to stem the Eagle tide but their normally-reliable three-point bombers suddenly went stone-cold. A Madson lay-up with 2:48 left now had Northwestern within two trailing 63-61 and, despite on a night when the Eagles were guilty of numerous turnovers, Northwestern now was in position to steal an important non-conference game on an opponents floor.
Alas, the Eagles would fall just short. Zimmerman was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback with 1:21 left that upped the Bethel lead to 65-61 and then Friesen finally shook off some cobwebs and nailed a "3" from the right corner with exactly 1:00 left for a seemingly insurmountable 68-61 advantage. Still, the Eagles would not call it a night just yet. Berglund made one free throw after getting fouled with :48.4 left but would not get a crack at a second because of a Northwestern lane violation. Trailing 69-62, Smith; who had just finished up with volleyball season and really had little if any practice time shooting from long-range, uncorked a "3" from the right wing area with :27 left that cut the Bethel lead to 69-65. The Eagles had to immediately foul and Stubbs tabbed Bethel's Niewald to go to the charity stripe. Niewald was only able to get one freebie to go down and Northwestern still had life. Berglund was able to make a drive and connect with a lay-up with just :10 left on the clock that now had the Eagles within a single possession trailing 70-67. Smith immediately fouled Niewald and the Fridley product went to the charity stripe again to presumably ice this game for Bethel once and for all. But Niewald's freebie missed it's mark and Smith was there with her long arms to snare the rebound for Northwestern. The Eagles hustled down the floor with scant seconds left but just when they were trying to get somebody in position to take a "3" to send this one into overtime, Zimmerman came through to save the day for Bethel as she snared a steal with just :01.7 left to seal the deal and the Royals escaped a close one in their home opener with a 70-67 victory.
A disappointed but upbeat Kahl attributed this defeat to turnovers - 31 in all - that might make many coaches lose a lot of sleep. Still, Kahl seemed to take a lot of positives out of this one going forward; particularly Cooper's 13 points on this night coupled with Smith's nine rebounds. Herbrechtsmeyer was happy with the win but reserved as well. He pointed out the 3 of 23 shooting from behind the arc and admitted that his squad won't go very far with shooting nights like that. Still, Parupsky had a solid night with a double-double (11 rebounds and 12 points) and Niewald surprising grabbed seven rebounds herself. No doubt, the Royals will have to smooth out some of the rough spots (free throw shooting among them) but this squad should be in pretty decent shape going through the rest of the early part of the season.
Friday, November 14, 2014
MIAC Predictions For 2014-15 Season
Oh yeah, that time of year again! In a fall (that has quickly turned to winter) that has had me obsessing over UCLA football (and the big showdown with crosstown rival USC next week) and getting my Rams back to Los Angeles, I have had some time to ponder the upcoming hoops season and how I think things are going to shake out in the MIAC this year. So, time to roll the dice.....
The Title Contenders:
1. UST
2. Bethel
No doubt as to who should be the favorite to be the top dog in the conference (again) this year. The Tommies have a load of talent in senior post Maggie Weiers and fellow senior point guard Jen Dockter. Throw in a supporting cast of fellow seniors Anna Smith and Elaine Warner plus junior Katie Stone and a bench that's deeper than some nuclear submarines and you've got a squad that can not only run roughshod over the rest of the conference but also has the ability to make a deep run in the national tournament as well. You can bet that UST still has a sour taste in their collective mouths after last year's NCAA second round tournament loss at home to eventual Final Four participant UW-Whitewater. Some may scoff at my pick of Bethel as the number two team in the conference but I think the Royals are poised to build on last year's 20-win season and at least have an outside shot at winning the conference. They have one of the best post players in the conference in junior Rachel Parupsky and an incredibly talented sophomore forward in Kalli Zimmerman. Depth might be an issue for this squad over the long-haul and they've got to avoid the injury bugaboo but I'm going to give Bethel the benefit of the doubt here and slide them into my number two spot. The reason for that is that I think the new revised scheduling works very much in their favor. They do get SMU twice but only get Concordia once (up in Moorhead) and UST only once as well - towards the end of the regular season at Robertson Center.
Solid Playoff Qualifiers:
3. Concordia
4. SMU
5. GAC
As long as Jessica Rahman (who I think is the best coach in the conference) is at Concordia, you can almost figure that the Cobbers are going to be in the thick of things and, at the very least, will have something to say about who does win this conference. Coming off another great season where they went 21-6 and got a bid to the Big Dance, Concordia will have a new face down low to fill the void left by graduated Alexandra Lippert. Two other big names have also collected their caps and gowns as well - back-up post Kelsey Walloch and guard Erika Jossart. But the Cobbers still have a seasoned senior in guard Alley Fisher and lanky forward Erin Januschka who finally broke out of her shell in that tough loss to UW-Whitewater in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Three other players to keep your eye on - senior Hannah Jeske, sophomore Greta Walsh and strong junior forward Olivia Johnson - will undoubtedly help keep Concordia in the mix. SMU; coming off a fantastic 24-4 season that saw them shock everybody by claiming regular season conference honors before the disappointing loss to UST at home in the MIAC Championship Game and the first round NCAA Tournament loss to UW-Oshkosh, lost MIAC POY Courtney Euerle to graduation which, no matter how you slice it or dice it, is a huge loss down low. The Cardinals are still very solid in the backcourt, however, with junior point guard Bridget Pethke and flashy senior guard Octavia Brown leading the way along with junior forward Shelby Auseth doing the hard work down low. One other player on this squad to keep your eye on - senior guard/forward Sara Schoenthaler; very underrated, IMHO. Certainly this team can be very good again. I made the mistake of selling them short last year. I just think losing Euerle will loom larger than some people believe. I think GAC is primed to make a bit of a move this coming season after snaring the coveted sixth spot by the hair of their chinny-chin-chin the last couple of years. Sadly, they will be without the services of one of the better post players in the conference in Karina Schroeder but they still have a couple of seasoned veterans in lanky junior forward Lindsey Johnson and senior transfer Maddie Ehrich from St. Olaf. Ehrich, while not necessarily a prolific scorer, can make things happen on defense and her athleticism and speed will be a big plus for this team that has struggled on that front. They have a bevy of young new talent coming in and it will be interesting to see how the young players develop and if they can make an impact early on.
Fighting For That Sixth Spot:
6. CSB
7. Hamline
8. Augsburg
To say that last year was something of a disappointment for perennial powerhouse CSB would be a huge understatement for a program that has had the lofty expectations this one has had over the years that Mike Durbin has been there. Things seemed to spiral out of control late in the season and they never could recover. But I think CSB has the best chance out of these three teams to get that sixth spot and at least make some amends for last year's disaster. The Lueck Sister Act (senior Emily and junior Mattie) are back along with sophomore point guard Annie Dittberner plus an exciting group of young new faces. Hamline endured a rough season last year and Head Coach Kerri Stockwell attributed that to youth and inexperience. But the Pipers are arguably one of the most dangerous teams lurking out there and the overall speed and athleticism they have is stunning. They have perhaps the best athlete in the conference in senior guard Jordan Sammons back for one last hurrah along with juniors Emily Behrman and Mackenzie Lee and speedy sophomore Chloe Graves. The post area will still be a little on the green side with freshman Alex Peterson presumably in the starting role. The big question for this squad is: Can they find a way to be consistent? They have the ability to beat anybody in this conference and, at the same time, they also possess the ability to lose to anyone in the conference. To crack the playoffs, they will have to take care of business at home and find a way to steal a game or two on the road that they're probably not supposed to win. Ditto for Augsburg which has been right on the cusp of the playoffs for the last few seasons only to fall short at the most critical times. They have one of the best defensive players in the conference in senior guard Abbey Luger who can not only wreak havoc out on the perimeter but can also hit the "3" as well. A solid supporting cast of junior guard Jenna Orth and fellow junior guard Marie Fitzgerald will give the Auggies the ability to stay in the hunt. But again, the nagging question - can they be consistent and find a way to get over the top this time around?
On The Outside Looking In:
9. Carleton
10. St. Olaf
The two Northfield teams - Carleton and crosstown rival St. Olaf - are both curious cases. I've often thought that the Knights had a chance to make a breakthrough and, although they've shown flashes of brilliance, injuries and other assorted maladies have brought them down. They have a great returning senior guard in Skylar Tsutsui and juniors Michelle Arima and Gabbi Stienstra help make the Carleton backcourt solid. They're still awfully green in the frontcourt, however, and I think this will again hold the Knights back from making any inroads. Meanwhile, over on the west side of town, St. Olaf was a mess after this last season that saw them get the sixth spot and get unceremoniously dumped by Bethel in the first round. Bad enough that the Oles lost both Elise Raney and Britt Weber to graduation. But the Oles also lost lanky post Emily Wahlberg, three-point bomber Kim Cerjan and seasoned vet Maddie Ehrich in an exodus that I have personally not seen in the MIAC before. Junior Lauren Gutierrez is back as is senior post Nikki Frogner but the Oles will need to have both of these players healthy to stand any kind of chance. Junior guard Afton Wolter is always a dangerous threat behind the arc and sophomore Betsey Daly is an up-and-coming player to keep your eye on. Maybe the Oles will fare better than I think but they'll have to show me to convince me.
Struggling To Get Out Of The Basement:
11. St. Kate's
12. Macalester
The Wildcats endured a rough, rough season last year as injuries and inexperience all took their toll on Head Coach Sean Pinkerton's squad. But the legion of walking wounded are now back and this team may finally be ready to make a move and surprise. Leading the way for St. Kate's will be sophomore point guard Gabby Zehrer and fellow sophomore guard/forward LaShay Holt. A supporting cast featuring seniors Sarah Manning and Jenna Mistler plus sophomores Kennedy Jennings and Mari Lee plus an exciting group of freshmen that includes Meg and Audra Clark out of Kenyon-Wanamingo help make this a team to definitely keep your eye on. They will have to avoid any bad luck scenarios but they could - if things go "right" for them - make a splash. New Macalester Head Coach and former Minnesota Golden Gopher standout Kelly Roysland takes over the reigns from Ellen Thompson. Roysland obviously has a huge task in rebuilding the Macalester program that just five seasons ago was one of the best teams in the conference. Still, if anyone can pick up the pieces and make the Scots winners again, it's Roysland.
So there you have it. And now, let the battles begin!
The Title Contenders:
1. UST
2. Bethel
No doubt as to who should be the favorite to be the top dog in the conference (again) this year. The Tommies have a load of talent in senior post Maggie Weiers and fellow senior point guard Jen Dockter. Throw in a supporting cast of fellow seniors Anna Smith and Elaine Warner plus junior Katie Stone and a bench that's deeper than some nuclear submarines and you've got a squad that can not only run roughshod over the rest of the conference but also has the ability to make a deep run in the national tournament as well. You can bet that UST still has a sour taste in their collective mouths after last year's NCAA second round tournament loss at home to eventual Final Four participant UW-Whitewater. Some may scoff at my pick of Bethel as the number two team in the conference but I think the Royals are poised to build on last year's 20-win season and at least have an outside shot at winning the conference. They have one of the best post players in the conference in junior Rachel Parupsky and an incredibly talented sophomore forward in Kalli Zimmerman. Depth might be an issue for this squad over the long-haul and they've got to avoid the injury bugaboo but I'm going to give Bethel the benefit of the doubt here and slide them into my number two spot. The reason for that is that I think the new revised scheduling works very much in their favor. They do get SMU twice but only get Concordia once (up in Moorhead) and UST only once as well - towards the end of the regular season at Robertson Center.
Solid Playoff Qualifiers:
3. Concordia
4. SMU
5. GAC
As long as Jessica Rahman (who I think is the best coach in the conference) is at Concordia, you can almost figure that the Cobbers are going to be in the thick of things and, at the very least, will have something to say about who does win this conference. Coming off another great season where they went 21-6 and got a bid to the Big Dance, Concordia will have a new face down low to fill the void left by graduated Alexandra Lippert. Two other big names have also collected their caps and gowns as well - back-up post Kelsey Walloch and guard Erika Jossart. But the Cobbers still have a seasoned senior in guard Alley Fisher and lanky forward Erin Januschka who finally broke out of her shell in that tough loss to UW-Whitewater in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Three other players to keep your eye on - senior Hannah Jeske, sophomore Greta Walsh and strong junior forward Olivia Johnson - will undoubtedly help keep Concordia in the mix. SMU; coming off a fantastic 24-4 season that saw them shock everybody by claiming regular season conference honors before the disappointing loss to UST at home in the MIAC Championship Game and the first round NCAA Tournament loss to UW-Oshkosh, lost MIAC POY Courtney Euerle to graduation which, no matter how you slice it or dice it, is a huge loss down low. The Cardinals are still very solid in the backcourt, however, with junior point guard Bridget Pethke and flashy senior guard Octavia Brown leading the way along with junior forward Shelby Auseth doing the hard work down low. One other player on this squad to keep your eye on - senior guard/forward Sara Schoenthaler; very underrated, IMHO. Certainly this team can be very good again. I made the mistake of selling them short last year. I just think losing Euerle will loom larger than some people believe. I think GAC is primed to make a bit of a move this coming season after snaring the coveted sixth spot by the hair of their chinny-chin-chin the last couple of years. Sadly, they will be without the services of one of the better post players in the conference in Karina Schroeder but they still have a couple of seasoned veterans in lanky junior forward Lindsey Johnson and senior transfer Maddie Ehrich from St. Olaf. Ehrich, while not necessarily a prolific scorer, can make things happen on defense and her athleticism and speed will be a big plus for this team that has struggled on that front. They have a bevy of young new talent coming in and it will be interesting to see how the young players develop and if they can make an impact early on.
Fighting For That Sixth Spot:
6. CSB
7. Hamline
8. Augsburg
To say that last year was something of a disappointment for perennial powerhouse CSB would be a huge understatement for a program that has had the lofty expectations this one has had over the years that Mike Durbin has been there. Things seemed to spiral out of control late in the season and they never could recover. But I think CSB has the best chance out of these three teams to get that sixth spot and at least make some amends for last year's disaster. The Lueck Sister Act (senior Emily and junior Mattie) are back along with sophomore point guard Annie Dittberner plus an exciting group of young new faces. Hamline endured a rough season last year and Head Coach Kerri Stockwell attributed that to youth and inexperience. But the Pipers are arguably one of the most dangerous teams lurking out there and the overall speed and athleticism they have is stunning. They have perhaps the best athlete in the conference in senior guard Jordan Sammons back for one last hurrah along with juniors Emily Behrman and Mackenzie Lee and speedy sophomore Chloe Graves. The post area will still be a little on the green side with freshman Alex Peterson presumably in the starting role. The big question for this squad is: Can they find a way to be consistent? They have the ability to beat anybody in this conference and, at the same time, they also possess the ability to lose to anyone in the conference. To crack the playoffs, they will have to take care of business at home and find a way to steal a game or two on the road that they're probably not supposed to win. Ditto for Augsburg which has been right on the cusp of the playoffs for the last few seasons only to fall short at the most critical times. They have one of the best defensive players in the conference in senior guard Abbey Luger who can not only wreak havoc out on the perimeter but can also hit the "3" as well. A solid supporting cast of junior guard Jenna Orth and fellow junior guard Marie Fitzgerald will give the Auggies the ability to stay in the hunt. But again, the nagging question - can they be consistent and find a way to get over the top this time around?
On The Outside Looking In:
9. Carleton
10. St. Olaf
The two Northfield teams - Carleton and crosstown rival St. Olaf - are both curious cases. I've often thought that the Knights had a chance to make a breakthrough and, although they've shown flashes of brilliance, injuries and other assorted maladies have brought them down. They have a great returning senior guard in Skylar Tsutsui and juniors Michelle Arima and Gabbi Stienstra help make the Carleton backcourt solid. They're still awfully green in the frontcourt, however, and I think this will again hold the Knights back from making any inroads. Meanwhile, over on the west side of town, St. Olaf was a mess after this last season that saw them get the sixth spot and get unceremoniously dumped by Bethel in the first round. Bad enough that the Oles lost both Elise Raney and Britt Weber to graduation. But the Oles also lost lanky post Emily Wahlberg, three-point bomber Kim Cerjan and seasoned vet Maddie Ehrich in an exodus that I have personally not seen in the MIAC before. Junior Lauren Gutierrez is back as is senior post Nikki Frogner but the Oles will need to have both of these players healthy to stand any kind of chance. Junior guard Afton Wolter is always a dangerous threat behind the arc and sophomore Betsey Daly is an up-and-coming player to keep your eye on. Maybe the Oles will fare better than I think but they'll have to show me to convince me.
Struggling To Get Out Of The Basement:
11. St. Kate's
12. Macalester
The Wildcats endured a rough, rough season last year as injuries and inexperience all took their toll on Head Coach Sean Pinkerton's squad. But the legion of walking wounded are now back and this team may finally be ready to make a move and surprise. Leading the way for St. Kate's will be sophomore point guard Gabby Zehrer and fellow sophomore guard/forward LaShay Holt. A supporting cast featuring seniors Sarah Manning and Jenna Mistler plus sophomores Kennedy Jennings and Mari Lee plus an exciting group of freshmen that includes Meg and Audra Clark out of Kenyon-Wanamingo help make this a team to definitely keep your eye on. They will have to avoid any bad luck scenarios but they could - if things go "right" for them - make a splash. New Macalester Head Coach and former Minnesota Golden Gopher standout Kelly Roysland takes over the reigns from Ellen Thompson. Roysland obviously has a huge task in rebuilding the Macalester program that just five seasons ago was one of the best teams in the conference. Still, if anyone can pick up the pieces and make the Scots winners again, it's Roysland.
So there you have it. And now, let the battles begin!
Anoka-Ramsey vs Hamline Scrimmage Review 11-11-14
Was over at venerable Hutton Arena on this Veterans Day to take in the scrimmage between visiting Anoka-Ramsey and host Hamline. I was very anxious to get a look at Hamline as I think this is a squad that has potential to make a move in the MIAC this season after a disappointing 2013-14 campaign. They're certainly loaded with talent and athleticism and those attributes were certainly on display on this night.
1st Scrimmage
The Golden Rams got off to a good start in this one; building a 6-3 lead behind sophomore guard Mattie Racek's jumper from the right wing at the 18:27 mark and her "3" from the same area at the 17:36 mark. But Hamline was quick to right the ship. Sophomore guard Chelsey Bonsante uncorked a "3" of her own from the right wing at the 17:25 mark that tied the score and then senior Jordan Sammons showed her ability to shoot from long range as well as she drilled a "3" from the left top area at the 16:45 mark to put the Pipers out in front 9-6 and had Anoka-Ramsey Assistant Coach James Fassett calling a timeout to get his squad's defense adjusted. The Golden Rams managed to stay within striking distance for a short period of time thank to a jumper from the left wing by freshman guard Maya DeLao at the 15:34 mark but an 8-0 Hamline burst over the next three minutes set the tone for the rest of the first scrimmage. Sammons drained another "3" from the top of the key at the 13:50 mark and then the senior standout from Apple Valley connected with a lay-up in transition a short time later. Bonsante's short shot in the lane at the 12:07 mark gave the Pipers a 17-8 advantage before Anoka-Ramsey's Racek was able to erase some of that nine-point deficit with another "3" from the left top area with 9:29 left.
Hamline maintained that 7-8 point cushion over the next 2 1/2 minutes and then the Pipers were finally able to open up a double-digit advantage with 6:41 left when lanky freshman post Alex Peterson connected with a jumper along the left baseline for a 23-13 Piper lead. Another Peterson score; a short shot in transition with 5:59 left and Bonsante's lay-up in transition with 5:20 left made it a 27-13 game as the Pipers feasted on several Anoka-Ramsey miscues. Another "3" by Racek from the left wing off the glass with 4:26 left temporarily shook off some of the offensive cobwebs for Anoka-Ramsey but they were simply ineffective in trying to get the ball inside. Piper junior guard Emily Behrman's running hook shot in the lane off the glass with 3:05 left and sophomore guard Chloe Graves' drive and finish with 1:05 left allowed Hamline to open up a fifteen-point advantage at 32-17 and a late Anoka-Ramsey flurry could only incrementally improve the deficit as the Pipers took the first scrimmage 32-20.
2nd Scrimmage
The Pipers appeared to pick up where they left off after the first scrimmage; grabbing a 4-0 lead thanks to two scores by Bonsante but the Hamline faithful held their collective breaths at the 17:05 mark when Sammons went down after a tough collision down low but she was thankfully back up under her own power and on the bench to sit a spell to recover. Anoka-Ramsey managed to knot things up at 6 a piece at the 15:56 mark but it was here that Hamline embarked on a 15-0 tear. Graves drilled a "3" from the left corner at the 14:51 mark and then followed that up with a lay-up at the 12:14 mark for a 14-6 Piper lead. The Denver, Colorado native then snared a steal and dashed the other way for an easy lay-up at the 11:40 mark for a 16-6 Hamline lead and then sophomore reserve Monica Herzog connected with a lay-up in transition at the 10:06 mark. Graves punctuated the run with a "3" from the left wing with 9:25 left and suddenly the Golden Rams found themselves staring at a 21-6 deficit.
But Anoka-Ramsey was unable to make any gouges into the wide gap that the Pipers had established as they continued to struggle with turnovers and miscues which allowed Hamline to take full advantage. Sammons; back on the court for the Pipers by this time, nailed a "3" from the top of the key with 8:35 left for a 24-7 Hamline lead. Anoka-Ramsey tried to counter with a pretty move and finish in the paint by sophomore forward Alandra Brown-Cox with 7:42 left but Sammons uncorked another "3" with 7:29 left from the left wing area and then Bonsante was able to maneuver into the paint for a score that got her fouled and sent her to the line for the obligatory freebie. A Sammons steal and lay-up the other way with 4:14 left widened Hamline's lead to 32-12. Sophomore reserve guard Kelly Stacken was able to score in the paint for the Pipers to maintain that twenty-point advantage at 34-14 with 1:51 left as Hamline cruised to a 36-19 win.
3rd Scrimmage
The last scrimmage of the night was a 15-minute running-time affair that allowed Hamline Head Coach Kerri Stockwell to unload her bench and give her younger players a chance to show what they could do. Somewhat predictably, this round was a much closer and tightly contested. DeLayo's jumper in the lane at the 14:36 mark got Anoka-Ramsey on the board first and the Golden Rams held a 3-2 lead after Racek made good on a free throw at the 12:03 mark but then a "3" from the left top area by junior reserve guard Julie Albrecht gave Hamline its first lead at 5-3 with 8:25 left. Both teams traded treys over the next 2 1/2 minutes but the Golden Rams appeared to gain some control after Racek snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up with 4:51 left and Brown-Cox connected with a short shot off the glass with 3:39 left for an 11-8 Anoka-Ramsey lead. But two late scores by Hamline - a score in the paint by freshman reserve post Ivannie Robertson with 3:20 left and a short jumper by sophomore reserve post Ali Winslow with 1:42 left - proved to be the difference as the Pipers edge Anoka-Ramsey in the finale by a score of 12-11.
1st Scrimmage
The Golden Rams got off to a good start in this one; building a 6-3 lead behind sophomore guard Mattie Racek's jumper from the right wing at the 18:27 mark and her "3" from the same area at the 17:36 mark. But Hamline was quick to right the ship. Sophomore guard Chelsey Bonsante uncorked a "3" of her own from the right wing at the 17:25 mark that tied the score and then senior Jordan Sammons showed her ability to shoot from long range as well as she drilled a "3" from the left top area at the 16:45 mark to put the Pipers out in front 9-6 and had Anoka-Ramsey Assistant Coach James Fassett calling a timeout to get his squad's defense adjusted. The Golden Rams managed to stay within striking distance for a short period of time thank to a jumper from the left wing by freshman guard Maya DeLao at the 15:34 mark but an 8-0 Hamline burst over the next three minutes set the tone for the rest of the first scrimmage. Sammons drained another "3" from the top of the key at the 13:50 mark and then the senior standout from Apple Valley connected with a lay-up in transition a short time later. Bonsante's short shot in the lane at the 12:07 mark gave the Pipers a 17-8 advantage before Anoka-Ramsey's Racek was able to erase some of that nine-point deficit with another "3" from the left top area with 9:29 left.
Hamline maintained that 7-8 point cushion over the next 2 1/2 minutes and then the Pipers were finally able to open up a double-digit advantage with 6:41 left when lanky freshman post Alex Peterson connected with a jumper along the left baseline for a 23-13 Piper lead. Another Peterson score; a short shot in transition with 5:59 left and Bonsante's lay-up in transition with 5:20 left made it a 27-13 game as the Pipers feasted on several Anoka-Ramsey miscues. Another "3" by Racek from the left wing off the glass with 4:26 left temporarily shook off some of the offensive cobwebs for Anoka-Ramsey but they were simply ineffective in trying to get the ball inside. Piper junior guard Emily Behrman's running hook shot in the lane off the glass with 3:05 left and sophomore guard Chloe Graves' drive and finish with 1:05 left allowed Hamline to open up a fifteen-point advantage at 32-17 and a late Anoka-Ramsey flurry could only incrementally improve the deficit as the Pipers took the first scrimmage 32-20.
2nd Scrimmage
The Pipers appeared to pick up where they left off after the first scrimmage; grabbing a 4-0 lead thanks to two scores by Bonsante but the Hamline faithful held their collective breaths at the 17:05 mark when Sammons went down after a tough collision down low but she was thankfully back up under her own power and on the bench to sit a spell to recover. Anoka-Ramsey managed to knot things up at 6 a piece at the 15:56 mark but it was here that Hamline embarked on a 15-0 tear. Graves drilled a "3" from the left corner at the 14:51 mark and then followed that up with a lay-up at the 12:14 mark for a 14-6 Piper lead. The Denver, Colorado native then snared a steal and dashed the other way for an easy lay-up at the 11:40 mark for a 16-6 Hamline lead and then sophomore reserve Monica Herzog connected with a lay-up in transition at the 10:06 mark. Graves punctuated the run with a "3" from the left wing with 9:25 left and suddenly the Golden Rams found themselves staring at a 21-6 deficit.
But Anoka-Ramsey was unable to make any gouges into the wide gap that the Pipers had established as they continued to struggle with turnovers and miscues which allowed Hamline to take full advantage. Sammons; back on the court for the Pipers by this time, nailed a "3" from the top of the key with 8:35 left for a 24-7 Hamline lead. Anoka-Ramsey tried to counter with a pretty move and finish in the paint by sophomore forward Alandra Brown-Cox with 7:42 left but Sammons uncorked another "3" with 7:29 left from the left wing area and then Bonsante was able to maneuver into the paint for a score that got her fouled and sent her to the line for the obligatory freebie. A Sammons steal and lay-up the other way with 4:14 left widened Hamline's lead to 32-12. Sophomore reserve guard Kelly Stacken was able to score in the paint for the Pipers to maintain that twenty-point advantage at 34-14 with 1:51 left as Hamline cruised to a 36-19 win.
3rd Scrimmage
The last scrimmage of the night was a 15-minute running-time affair that allowed Hamline Head Coach Kerri Stockwell to unload her bench and give her younger players a chance to show what they could do. Somewhat predictably, this round was a much closer and tightly contested. DeLayo's jumper in the lane at the 14:36 mark got Anoka-Ramsey on the board first and the Golden Rams held a 3-2 lead after Racek made good on a free throw at the 12:03 mark but then a "3" from the left top area by junior reserve guard Julie Albrecht gave Hamline its first lead at 5-3 with 8:25 left. Both teams traded treys over the next 2 1/2 minutes but the Golden Rams appeared to gain some control after Racek snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up with 4:51 left and Brown-Cox connected with a short shot off the glass with 3:39 left for an 11-8 Anoka-Ramsey lead. But two late scores by Hamline - a score in the paint by freshman reserve post Ivannie Robertson with 3:20 left and a short jumper by sophomore reserve post Ali Winslow with 1:42 left - proved to be the difference as the Pipers edge Anoka-Ramsey in the finale by a score of 12-11.
Friday, November 7, 2014
UW-River Falls vs Augsburg Scrimmage 11-5-14
Was over at Augsburg on Wednesday night to catch scrimmage between the host Auggies and UW-River Falls out of the WIAC. I knew this would be an interesting get-together of two teams that both have some young faces and are both seeking to make amends from last year. I certainly wasn't disappointed when things wrapped up for the night either.
1st Scrimmage
Augsburg was able to get an early advantage in this first scrimmage although the Falcons were never in any early danger of falling way behind. A score in the paint by freshman post Hannah Steinhaus at the 19:02 mark and a "3" by junior guard Ashley Anfinson from the top of the key had the Auggies up 5-3 by the 17:27 mark. UW-River Falls junior guard Richelle Mehus' steal and lay-up the other way at the 16:53 mark tied the issue at five and then Augsburg junior guard Raeann Sorenson and UW-River Falls sophomore guard Katie Messman each traded treys from the left wing area that had things deadlocked at eight a piece. Augsburg was looking to make a difference on defense on this night and that's where Auggie senior guard Abbey Luger factored into the equation as she snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 14:36 mark and a score in the paint by freshman forward Bridget Bednar had things looking good for Augsburg at the 14:09 mark up 12-8. But the Falcons would quickly erase any signs of early trouble as they embarked on a 7-0 spurt fueled by two scores by sophomore post Taylor Augustine - a score in the paint at the 11:48 mark and a steal and lay-up the other way at the 11:30 mark that now had UW-River Falls up by a count of 15-12.
The Falcons would hold a small lead over the next three minutes before Augsburg was finally able to capture some momentum and gain the advantage back for good in this first scrimmage. Trailing 18-16, Sorenson was able to maneuver into the paint against the tall Falcon defenders for a score with 8:35 left to tie things back up at 18-all. UW-River Falls would momentarily regain the lead at 20-18 on Augustine's jumper in the lane with 8:07 left but Auggie junior guard Jenna Orth countered with a jumper of her own with 7:46 left to tie it at 20-all. The two teams would be tied again at 22-all with 6:55 left when Augsburg was able to make its decisive move with an 8-0 run. Steinhaus was sent to the line with 6:27 left after getting where she cashed in on two freebies and then junior guard Destiny Scott was able to snare an offensive rebound and putback of her own miss with 5:46 left. Another score with 5:14 left along with two more Steinhaus free throws with 4:20 left now had the Auggies up 30-22. UW-River Falls was not done just yet, however. Another "3" from Messman; this one from the right corner with 3:22 left and a "3" from lanky 6'0" freshman post Taylor Karge from the left wing area with 1:36 left as the shot clock was winding down whittled the Auggie lead down to a precarious two points but Augsburg would not this one get away. A game-ending 6-0 run by Augsburg highlighted by a lay-up by Bednar that got her fouled in the process and allowed her to get the obligatory freebie plus a clinching jumper from the left wing by Sorenson with just :10 left gave this first go-around to Augsburg by a final count of 37-28.
2nd Scrimmage
You can bet that UW-River Falls Head Coach Cindy Holbrook likely had some choice words for her squad after the first scrimmage and the Falcons came out with renewed purpose and resolve once the second scrimmage got underway. Dominating on the boards early, UW-River Falls opened up a 7-0 lead on the host Auggies by the 16:07 mark thanks to a Mehus "3" from the left wing along with three charity stripe shots by the former Spring Grove standout. Augsburg; despite the Falcons fast start, would not be deterred and slowly began chipping away at the deficit. A "3" by the left, Luger, along with a jumper by backcourt teammate Orth along the right baseline had the Auggies back to within four trailing 9-5 by the 14:03 mark. Another Luger "3" from the top of the key at the 13:17 mark brought Augsburg to within three trailing 11-8 before the Falcons threatened to open up some more distance. Augustine connected with a jumper from near the free throw line at the 11:53 mark and another Mehus trey; this one from the right top area with 11:04 left gave UW-River Falls more breathing room up 16-8.
Right back came the Auggies. Luger; known more for her defensive prowess and ability to wreak havoc by snaring steals, knocked down a jumper along the left baseline at the 10:42 mark and an offensive rebound and putback by Bednar had Augsburg back within striking distance trailing 16-12. Scott connected with a jumper from the right elbow area with 9:15 mark that sliced the UW-River Falls lead down to a scant two points. Two "3's" by sophomore guard/forward Laykn Bauer - one from the left wing area with 8:21 left and another one from the right wing area with 5:46 left - along with a score in the paint by Bednar with 4:57 left, got Augsburg tantalizingly close; trailing 23-22 with a mountain of time left. But just when it appeared the Falcons were on the verge of capitulation, they had some key players step up. Sophomore guard Jessie Van Wyhe drilled a "3" from the left top area with 4:11 left and two free throws by freshman post Haley Rau with 3:39 left upped the UW-River Falls lead back to six at 28-22. Augsburg would still manage to pull within a single digit again on a 5-0 burst with contributions from both Orth and Luger with 2:00 left. A score in the paint for the Falcons by Rau with 1:50 left momentarily had UW-River Falls breathing a bit easier but then more heroics by Augsburg's Luger in the form of a steal and lay-up the other way once again had the Auggies to within a single digit. The clincher for UW-River Falls came with :41.4 left when Karge was fouled and sent to the charity stripe. She connected with her first three throw and, although her second attempt was errant, Rau was there to snare the offensive rebound away from any anxious Auggie and she promptly but the ball back into the cylinder for the game-winning points as UW-River Falls held on for dear life taking the second scrimmage by a count of 33-29.
3rd Scrimmage
The rubber match for this evening would be a shortened ten minute affair and it would be fitting that this one would be tight toward the end. UW-River Falls sophomore guard Hannah Pignato got the Falcons on the board first with her pretty jumper in transition with 9:33 left but a jumper by Augsburg's Steinhaus off the glass tied the game at 2-all with 8:11 left. The Auggies would grab a 5-2 advantage on a free throw by Bednar with 7:22 left and a score in the paint by Steinhaus a minute later. A Sorenson score in the paint with 5:44 left had Augsburg up 7-3 but the Falcons would manage to get to within one of the Auggies; trailing 8-7 on charity stripe shots by Messman and a score in the paint by Karge. Augsburg; using a few more new faces in this scrimmage, upped its lead to 10-7 on a score in the paint by sophomore reserve guard Alison Ranum with 4:15 left. Two scores by freshman reserve forward Savanna Roth - one in the paint with 2:10 left and a "3" from the left wing area with 1:28 left - gave the Auggies a seemingly "safe" lead of 15-9 with just 1:28 left. The Falcons, however, were not quite yet ready to call it a night. A score in the paint by lanky 6'1" sophomore reserve post Ali Clark with :41 left and another one by Rau with just :10 left suddenly had this young UW-River Falls squad down by just two points. Augsburg managed to avoid disaster and they would hold off the late Falcon surge to win this last scrimmage by a count of 15-13.
1st Scrimmage
Augsburg was able to get an early advantage in this first scrimmage although the Falcons were never in any early danger of falling way behind. A score in the paint by freshman post Hannah Steinhaus at the 19:02 mark and a "3" by junior guard Ashley Anfinson from the top of the key had the Auggies up 5-3 by the 17:27 mark. UW-River Falls junior guard Richelle Mehus' steal and lay-up the other way at the 16:53 mark tied the issue at five and then Augsburg junior guard Raeann Sorenson and UW-River Falls sophomore guard Katie Messman each traded treys from the left wing area that had things deadlocked at eight a piece. Augsburg was looking to make a difference on defense on this night and that's where Auggie senior guard Abbey Luger factored into the equation as she snared a steal and dashed the other way for a lay-up at the 14:36 mark and a score in the paint by freshman forward Bridget Bednar had things looking good for Augsburg at the 14:09 mark up 12-8. But the Falcons would quickly erase any signs of early trouble as they embarked on a 7-0 spurt fueled by two scores by sophomore post Taylor Augustine - a score in the paint at the 11:48 mark and a steal and lay-up the other way at the 11:30 mark that now had UW-River Falls up by a count of 15-12.
The Falcons would hold a small lead over the next three minutes before Augsburg was finally able to capture some momentum and gain the advantage back for good in this first scrimmage. Trailing 18-16, Sorenson was able to maneuver into the paint against the tall Falcon defenders for a score with 8:35 left to tie things back up at 18-all. UW-River Falls would momentarily regain the lead at 20-18 on Augustine's jumper in the lane with 8:07 left but Auggie junior guard Jenna Orth countered with a jumper of her own with 7:46 left to tie it at 20-all. The two teams would be tied again at 22-all with 6:55 left when Augsburg was able to make its decisive move with an 8-0 run. Steinhaus was sent to the line with 6:27 left after getting where she cashed in on two freebies and then junior guard Destiny Scott was able to snare an offensive rebound and putback of her own miss with 5:46 left. Another score with 5:14 left along with two more Steinhaus free throws with 4:20 left now had the Auggies up 30-22. UW-River Falls was not done just yet, however. Another "3" from Messman; this one from the right corner with 3:22 left and a "3" from lanky 6'0" freshman post Taylor Karge from the left wing area with 1:36 left as the shot clock was winding down whittled the Auggie lead down to a precarious two points but Augsburg would not this one get away. A game-ending 6-0 run by Augsburg highlighted by a lay-up by Bednar that got her fouled in the process and allowed her to get the obligatory freebie plus a clinching jumper from the left wing by Sorenson with just :10 left gave this first go-around to Augsburg by a final count of 37-28.
2nd Scrimmage
You can bet that UW-River Falls Head Coach Cindy Holbrook likely had some choice words for her squad after the first scrimmage and the Falcons came out with renewed purpose and resolve once the second scrimmage got underway. Dominating on the boards early, UW-River Falls opened up a 7-0 lead on the host Auggies by the 16:07 mark thanks to a Mehus "3" from the left wing along with three charity stripe shots by the former Spring Grove standout. Augsburg; despite the Falcons fast start, would not be deterred and slowly began chipping away at the deficit. A "3" by the left, Luger, along with a jumper by backcourt teammate Orth along the right baseline had the Auggies back to within four trailing 9-5 by the 14:03 mark. Another Luger "3" from the top of the key at the 13:17 mark brought Augsburg to within three trailing 11-8 before the Falcons threatened to open up some more distance. Augustine connected with a jumper from near the free throw line at the 11:53 mark and another Mehus trey; this one from the right top area with 11:04 left gave UW-River Falls more breathing room up 16-8.
Right back came the Auggies. Luger; known more for her defensive prowess and ability to wreak havoc by snaring steals, knocked down a jumper along the left baseline at the 10:42 mark and an offensive rebound and putback by Bednar had Augsburg back within striking distance trailing 16-12. Scott connected with a jumper from the right elbow area with 9:15 mark that sliced the UW-River Falls lead down to a scant two points. Two "3's" by sophomore guard/forward Laykn Bauer - one from the left wing area with 8:21 left and another one from the right wing area with 5:46 left - along with a score in the paint by Bednar with 4:57 left, got Augsburg tantalizingly close; trailing 23-22 with a mountain of time left. But just when it appeared the Falcons were on the verge of capitulation, they had some key players step up. Sophomore guard Jessie Van Wyhe drilled a "3" from the left top area with 4:11 left and two free throws by freshman post Haley Rau with 3:39 left upped the UW-River Falls lead back to six at 28-22. Augsburg would still manage to pull within a single digit again on a 5-0 burst with contributions from both Orth and Luger with 2:00 left. A score in the paint for the Falcons by Rau with 1:50 left momentarily had UW-River Falls breathing a bit easier but then more heroics by Augsburg's Luger in the form of a steal and lay-up the other way once again had the Auggies to within a single digit. The clincher for UW-River Falls came with :41.4 left when Karge was fouled and sent to the charity stripe. She connected with her first three throw and, although her second attempt was errant, Rau was there to snare the offensive rebound away from any anxious Auggie and she promptly but the ball back into the cylinder for the game-winning points as UW-River Falls held on for dear life taking the second scrimmage by a count of 33-29.
3rd Scrimmage
The rubber match for this evening would be a shortened ten minute affair and it would be fitting that this one would be tight toward the end. UW-River Falls sophomore guard Hannah Pignato got the Falcons on the board first with her pretty jumper in transition with 9:33 left but a jumper by Augsburg's Steinhaus off the glass tied the game at 2-all with 8:11 left. The Auggies would grab a 5-2 advantage on a free throw by Bednar with 7:22 left and a score in the paint by Steinhaus a minute later. A Sorenson score in the paint with 5:44 left had Augsburg up 7-3 but the Falcons would manage to get to within one of the Auggies; trailing 8-7 on charity stripe shots by Messman and a score in the paint by Karge. Augsburg; using a few more new faces in this scrimmage, upped its lead to 10-7 on a score in the paint by sophomore reserve guard Alison Ranum with 4:15 left. Two scores by freshman reserve forward Savanna Roth - one in the paint with 2:10 left and a "3" from the left wing area with 1:28 left - gave the Auggies a seemingly "safe" lead of 15-9 with just 1:28 left. The Falcons, however, were not quite yet ready to call it a night. A score in the paint by lanky 6'1" sophomore reserve post Ali Clark with :41 left and another one by Rau with just :10 left suddenly had this young UW-River Falls squad down by just two points. Augsburg managed to avoid disaster and they would hold off the late Falcon surge to win this last scrimmage by a count of 15-13.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Anoka-Ramsey vs Northwestern Scrimmage 11-3-14
Was over at Northwestern's Ericksen Center on Monday night to take in the scrimmage between host Northwestern and visiting Anoka-Ramsey. I was interested to see if the Golden Rams had made any visible improvements from their last scrimmage a week ago and I was curious as to how Northwestern would look in a game-setting after my visit to one of their practices a week ago as well.
1st Scrimmage
Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl had his team in that 1-2-2 match-up zone; a Kahl staple and it paid dividends in the early going as Anoka-Ramsey had a difficult time getting into any offensive rhythm and encountered even more problems whenever they tried to make forays into the paint. With the score tied at 2-all at the 18:33 mark after Anoka-Ramsey sophomore guard Mattie Racek was able to connect with a jumper off the glass, Northwestern senior guard Chanel Madson knocked down a jumper from the right wing area at the 18:19 mark and at the 17:44 mark the Westbrook native drilled a "3" from the same area for a 7-2 Eagle lead and Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt called a quick timeout to admonish his squad's defensive efforts and to stop the early bleeding. But Northwestern would increase the lead to 10-2 by the 15:22 mark thanks to a score in the paint by junior transfer forward Regan Cooper and a charity stripe shot by junior guard Kim Campbell and the Golden Eagles maintained that eight-point cushion with Campbell's lay-up in transition at the 14:03 mark. At the 13:33 mark, Campbell struck again as she uncorked a "3" from the right corner for a 16-5 Eagle lead. Anoka-Ramsey sophomore transfer forward Alandra Brown-Cox was able to muscle her way into the paint for a score at the 12:00 mark that got the Golden Rams back to within single digits trailing 19-10 and then was also able to connect on a lay-up at the 10:43 mark to help keep Anoka-Ramsey within striking distance trailing 21-12.
But the bottom would soon fall out for the Golden Rams as Northwestern proceeded to go on a tear. Sophomore reserve guard Tiffany Stubbs let loose with a "3" from the left corner at the 10:21 mark and then it was Cooper knocking down a medium-range jumper from the right elbow area with 9:43 left for a 26-12 Eagle lead. Anoka-Ramsey's Racek tried to counter with a "3"of her own from the left top area with 9:13 left but the Golden Ram boat kept filling up with water. Northwestern freshman guard Amy Berglund hit a jumper from the left side of the rim with 8:03 left and then fellow freshman Jessica Cole made the net sing with her "3" from the left corner with 7:21 left for a 31-15 Eagle lead. Anoka-Ramsey would have one push left, however. Another Racek "3" from the left wing area with 6:34 left and a rebound and putback by Brown-Cox helped fuel a 6-0 Golden Ram spurt that briefly had the Golden Rams back to within single digits but Northwestern would soon shut the door for good on this first scrimmage. First, Campbell drained another "3" from the right wing area with 3:46 left and then another Madson "3"; this one from the left top area had the Eagles back up safely by a count of 37-22 with 2:32 left. Brown-Cox would get one last hurrah in this first scrimmage with a pretty drive and finish that got her fouled and allowed her to sink the obligatory free throw but Northwestern would close out this first scrimmage winning by a count of 37-25.
2nd Scrimmage
Anoka-Ramsey appeared primed to make amends in the second scrimmage as they got off to a solid start and bolted to a 6-2 lead by the 16:41 mark thanks to two scores by Racek. Unfortunately for the Golden Rams, that's as far as the good times went as Northwestern quickly found their way and usurped control of this second scrimmage. A 13-0 Eagle run over the course of the next four minutes completely changed the complexion of things and, even more encouraging from a Northwestern standpoint, it was spurred by some unlikely players. While a Berglund drive and finish at the 16:17 mark closed the gap to two points, Cole was able to make good on a lay-up in transition at the 15:45 mark that tied the score at 6-all. A Cole "3" from the left wing area at the 15:20 mark put the Eagles up for good in this one and the freshman from Altoona, Iowa followed that up with a lay-up after a steal at the 15:00 mark. Then, sophomore reserve forward Emily Van Lith out of Minot, North Dakota connected with a lay-up in transition at the 14:27 mark sophomore reserve post Rachel Hart got into the paint for a score at the 12:49 mark to complete the run. Two scores by Van Lith at the 11:58 and 10:44 marks allowed Northwestern to maintain a cushion of 9-10 points as the Eagles held a 19-10 lead at the 10:21 mark.
Berglund would help put this one away as three consecutive scores by the Springfield, Virginia native - a steal and lay-up at the 10:06 mark and two lay-ups in transition with 9:08 and 7:07 left - had Northwestern up 25-10. Racek tried to keep Anoka-Ramsey alive with her "3" from the right wing area with 6:37 left but more damage inflicted by both Cole and Berglund over the next couple of minutes had the Eagles up safely 31-13 with 5:24 left. The lead increased to twenty after Cole connected with a jumper from the right corner with 4:24 left followed by a Madson lay-up with 3:45 left and a 35-15 lead. Two late scores by Anoka-Ramsey from both Racek and freshman Maya DeLao couldn't stem the tide as Northwestern waltzed to a 41-20 victory in this one.
3rd Scrimmage
Kahl inserted the new faces on his squad in the last scrimmage (20 minutes running time) and although the young ones battled valiantly, Anoka-Ramsey was able to take quick advantage of their youth and inexperience. Despite a hard drive and finish by Northwestern freshman Eugenia Chamberlain that had things knotted up at 2-all by the 18:33 mark, Anoka-Ramsey's Racek was able to snare a steal and dash the other way for a lay-up at the 17:44 mark that helped spark a 7-2 Golden Ram run that had Anoka-Ramsey up 11-4 by the 12:26 mark. Northwestern would battle and keep things interesting; clawing to within six with 7:23 left. With 5:40 left, Northwestern's hopes brightened momentarily as lanky 6'2" sophomore post Lily Grothe was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback and get to within four trailing 16-12 with 5:40 left. But a 5-0 Anoka-Ramsey run down the stretch provided the winning margin for the Golden Rams as they took the nightcap by a count of 21-12.
1st Scrimmage
Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl had his team in that 1-2-2 match-up zone; a Kahl staple and it paid dividends in the early going as Anoka-Ramsey had a difficult time getting into any offensive rhythm and encountered even more problems whenever they tried to make forays into the paint. With the score tied at 2-all at the 18:33 mark after Anoka-Ramsey sophomore guard Mattie Racek was able to connect with a jumper off the glass, Northwestern senior guard Chanel Madson knocked down a jumper from the right wing area at the 18:19 mark and at the 17:44 mark the Westbrook native drilled a "3" from the same area for a 7-2 Eagle lead and Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt called a quick timeout to admonish his squad's defensive efforts and to stop the early bleeding. But Northwestern would increase the lead to 10-2 by the 15:22 mark thanks to a score in the paint by junior transfer forward Regan Cooper and a charity stripe shot by junior guard Kim Campbell and the Golden Eagles maintained that eight-point cushion with Campbell's lay-up in transition at the 14:03 mark. At the 13:33 mark, Campbell struck again as she uncorked a "3" from the right corner for a 16-5 Eagle lead. Anoka-Ramsey sophomore transfer forward Alandra Brown-Cox was able to muscle her way into the paint for a score at the 12:00 mark that got the Golden Rams back to within single digits trailing 19-10 and then was also able to connect on a lay-up at the 10:43 mark to help keep Anoka-Ramsey within striking distance trailing 21-12.
But the bottom would soon fall out for the Golden Rams as Northwestern proceeded to go on a tear. Sophomore reserve guard Tiffany Stubbs let loose with a "3" from the left corner at the 10:21 mark and then it was Cooper knocking down a medium-range jumper from the right elbow area with 9:43 left for a 26-12 Eagle lead. Anoka-Ramsey's Racek tried to counter with a "3"of her own from the left top area with 9:13 left but the Golden Ram boat kept filling up with water. Northwestern freshman guard Amy Berglund hit a jumper from the left side of the rim with 8:03 left and then fellow freshman Jessica Cole made the net sing with her "3" from the left corner with 7:21 left for a 31-15 Eagle lead. Anoka-Ramsey would have one push left, however. Another Racek "3" from the left wing area with 6:34 left and a rebound and putback by Brown-Cox helped fuel a 6-0 Golden Ram spurt that briefly had the Golden Rams back to within single digits but Northwestern would soon shut the door for good on this first scrimmage. First, Campbell drained another "3" from the right wing area with 3:46 left and then another Madson "3"; this one from the left top area had the Eagles back up safely by a count of 37-22 with 2:32 left. Brown-Cox would get one last hurrah in this first scrimmage with a pretty drive and finish that got her fouled and allowed her to sink the obligatory free throw but Northwestern would close out this first scrimmage winning by a count of 37-25.
2nd Scrimmage
Anoka-Ramsey appeared primed to make amends in the second scrimmage as they got off to a solid start and bolted to a 6-2 lead by the 16:41 mark thanks to two scores by Racek. Unfortunately for the Golden Rams, that's as far as the good times went as Northwestern quickly found their way and usurped control of this second scrimmage. A 13-0 Eagle run over the course of the next four minutes completely changed the complexion of things and, even more encouraging from a Northwestern standpoint, it was spurred by some unlikely players. While a Berglund drive and finish at the 16:17 mark closed the gap to two points, Cole was able to make good on a lay-up in transition at the 15:45 mark that tied the score at 6-all. A Cole "3" from the left wing area at the 15:20 mark put the Eagles up for good in this one and the freshman from Altoona, Iowa followed that up with a lay-up after a steal at the 15:00 mark. Then, sophomore reserve forward Emily Van Lith out of Minot, North Dakota connected with a lay-up in transition at the 14:27 mark sophomore reserve post Rachel Hart got into the paint for a score at the 12:49 mark to complete the run. Two scores by Van Lith at the 11:58 and 10:44 marks allowed Northwestern to maintain a cushion of 9-10 points as the Eagles held a 19-10 lead at the 10:21 mark.
Berglund would help put this one away as three consecutive scores by the Springfield, Virginia native - a steal and lay-up at the 10:06 mark and two lay-ups in transition with 9:08 and 7:07 left - had Northwestern up 25-10. Racek tried to keep Anoka-Ramsey alive with her "3" from the right wing area with 6:37 left but more damage inflicted by both Cole and Berglund over the next couple of minutes had the Eagles up safely 31-13 with 5:24 left. The lead increased to twenty after Cole connected with a jumper from the right corner with 4:24 left followed by a Madson lay-up with 3:45 left and a 35-15 lead. Two late scores by Anoka-Ramsey from both Racek and freshman Maya DeLao couldn't stem the tide as Northwestern waltzed to a 41-20 victory in this one.
3rd Scrimmage
Kahl inserted the new faces on his squad in the last scrimmage (20 minutes running time) and although the young ones battled valiantly, Anoka-Ramsey was able to take quick advantage of their youth and inexperience. Despite a hard drive and finish by Northwestern freshman Eugenia Chamberlain that had things knotted up at 2-all by the 18:33 mark, Anoka-Ramsey's Racek was able to snare a steal and dash the other way for a lay-up at the 17:44 mark that helped spark a 7-2 Golden Ram run that had Anoka-Ramsey up 11-4 by the 12:26 mark. Northwestern would battle and keep things interesting; clawing to within six with 7:23 left. With 5:40 left, Northwestern's hopes brightened momentarily as lanky 6'2" sophomore post Lily Grothe was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback and get to within four trailing 16-12 with 5:40 left. But a 5-0 Anoka-Ramsey run down the stretch provided the winning margin for the Golden Rams as they took the nightcap by a count of 21-12.
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