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Thursday, June 30, 2016

Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League Results For Wednesday 6-29-16


Here are the results from tonight's action at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League:

5:00 P.M. Games

Augsburg - 40
CSB - 23

UST Purple - 73
NIACC - 50


5:55 P.M. Games

UST Grey - 64
Concordia St. Paul - 46

Northern State - 59
GAC #1 - 39


6:50 P.M. Games

Bethel - 54
Augsburg - 41

B Ballers - 55
UW River Falls - 40

St. Olaf - 41
CSB - 36


7:45 P.M. Games

Retirees - 49
Superhoopers - 39

Minnesota State - 71
Concordia St. Paul Alumni - 66

GAC #2 - 63
Hamline - 29


8:40 P.M. Games

Phatties - 72
UW-River Falls - 44

St. Kate's - 50
Luther - 47


9:35 P.M. Games

Suns - 38
Renegades - 34

Rusty Pipes - 58
Anoka-Ramsey - 39


In the 5:00 P.M. slot on Court 1, the Augsburg team jumped out to an early 6-1 lead on the CSB team and pushed that lead to 14-3 by the end of the first period.  The CSB team; which struggled offensively out of the gate, did manage to shake off enough cobwebs down the stretch of the second period to cut the Augsburg team's lead down into single-digit range at 24-17 by the half and stayed within ten points at the end of the third period trailing 31-23.  But the CSB team was ice-cold in the fourth and final period as the Augsburg team recorded a nice win.  Over on Court 2, the upset-minded NIACC team was taking on the highly-regarded UST Purple team.  Things were tight in the early going with the UST Purple team holding a 9-8 lead but a key 6-0 push by the UST Purple team increased that laed to 15-8 by the end of the first period.  The NIACC team; which relies primarily on its three-point shooting and ability to create turnovers, could do neither and the UST team did its damage down low and in transition to grab a 34-17 halftime advantage.  That lead bulged to 58-25 by the end of the third period and although the NIACC team did get a few of those three-point attempts to fall in the fourth period, it wouldn't be nearly enough to overcome the mountainous deficit that they faced

In the 5:55 P.M. slot, the Concordia St. Paul team was neck-and-neck with the UST Grey team over on Court 1 as the teams battled to an 11-11 deadlock by the end of the first period.  But things changed drastically after that as the UST Grey team embarked on a 10-2 burst early in the second period and took a 33-17 lead at the half as they wore down a Concordia St. Paul team that didn't have any reserves on this night enroute to a relatively easy win.  Meanwhile, an interesting battle took place over on Court 2 as the GAC #1 team jumped out to a somewhat surprising 11-5 lead on a somewhat sluggish Northern State team by the end of the first period.  But the Northern State team got an offensive jolt as senior-to-be Paige Waytashek got on a hot streak in the second period that got them right back into the thick of things and a three-point bomb by sophomore-to-be (and fellow former Centennial standout) Jaycie Gerding helped propel the Northern State team to a 24-19 halftime lead.  Northern State continued to dominate down low and another key "3" by Waytashek upped the lead to 40-29 by the end of the third period as the Northern State team continues to impress so far in this league.

There were three games in the 6:50 P.M. slot.  On Court 1, the Bethel team jumped out to an early 12-0 lead on the Augsburg team but the Augsburg team would close the gap to 14-10 midway through the second period and would manage to get to within a single possession soon thereafter trailing only 15-13.  But the Bethel team would soon right the ship and go on an 11-2 run that helped give them a 26-15 halftime lead.  The Augsburg team would manage to close the gap to a tantalizing three points again trailing only 35-32 in the third period but the Bethel team closed the door after that; getting the lead to 48-34 early in the fourth period to get the win.  On Court 2, the B Ballers team got out to an early 10-4 lead on the UW-River Falls team but the UW-River Falls team would get on a spurt that tied the game at 12-all and although the B Ballers team took a 16-13 lead going into the second period, this seemingly had the makings of a close affair.  The B Ballers team, however, got their lead to 31-23 late in the second period and withstood a late push by the UW-River Falls team to hold a 33-27 halftime advantage.  A quick 8-0 run by the B Ballers team at the beginning of the third period dashed the hopes of the UW-River Falls team in this one for good as the B Ballers team is another squad that has impressed lately.  One of the better games of the night took place over on Court 3 in another all-MIAC match-up between the St. Olaf team and the CSB team.  The St. Olaf team definitely looked to have an edge as they got off to an 8-2 lead and held a 12-5 lead by the end of the first period.  But the CSB team would slowly whittle away at the deficit and crank things up on defense that temporarily stifled the St. Olaf team and forged a 14-14 tie by the half.  The St. Olaf team got out to a good start in the third period and seemed to have a decisive edge again leading 26-19 only to see the CSB team claw its way right back into the thick of things as the St. Olaf team clung to a precarious 28-26 lead by the end of the third period.  The St. Olaf team looked to put the daisy on this one for good once they got their lead out to 35-28 midway in the final period but, once again, the CSB team made things very uncomfortable for them down the stretch as they closed the gap to a scant three points with under a minute left but were unable to close the gap.

The 7:45 P.M. slot saw three games as well.  Over on Court 1, the Retirees team looked to have an easy go of it as they bolted out to a 9-0 lead early on and held a seemingly prohibitive 17-3 lead at the end of the first period over the Superhoopers team.  But the Superhoopers team would find new life in the second period as they climbed back to within single-digit range trailing 24-18 late in the second period and trailed by only two points at 24-22 at the half.  But the Retirees team managed to get a bit more breathing room by the end of the third period holding a 39-34 lead and gradually increased the cushion from there.  A very good game on Court 2 between the Minnesota State team and the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team saw the Minnesota State team get out to a 12-5 lead but the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team soon cut that deficit down to three points thanks to a three-point bomb by former Golden Bear standout Carissa Wolyniec and the teams would battle to a 17-all deadlock by the end of the first period.  Minnesota State would re-establish its advantage at 29-23 midway through the second period but another Wolyniec three-point bomb shaved that lead down to 29-26 and the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team would take its first lead of the contest at 34-32 late in the second period and establish a 39-34 advantage by the half.  Minnesota State, however, went on a 9-0 burst to start out the third period to regain the lead and clung to a 56-55 lead by the end of the third period.  Both teams traded small leads down the stretch of the final period but in the end it would be the Minnesota State team that had the answers when it counted most.  Over on Court 3, the GAC #2 team held a slim 11-8 lead on the Hamline team midway through the first period but a quick 9-0 run by the GAC #2 team expanded that lead to 20-8 by the end of the first period and it was all downhill from there as the GAC #2 lead built the lead to twenty at 39-19 by the half and led 54-26 by the end of the third period.

In the 8:40 P.M. slot, the UW-River Falls team; doing double-duty on this night, managed to get deadlocked at 10-10 with the Phatties team midway through the first period and trailed only 15-12 by the end of the first period.  But things quickly went down the drain for the UW-River Falls team from there as the Phatties team embarked on a 10-2 run to begin the second period that made it a 25-14 game and the Phatties poured it on from there; taking a 40-18 lead by the half and putting it in cruise control from then on.  A much, much better contest over on Court 2 as a MIAC-IIAC battle was underway between the St. Kate's team and the Luther team.  Things would be very tight in this one as St. Kate's held a 12-10 lead midway through the first period only to see the game deadlocked at 16-all going into the second period.  The Luther team got on a 5-0 push to begin the second period to take a 21-16 lead but that was answered by a 7-0 burst by the St. Kate's team that saw them retake the lead at 23-21 and, fittingly anyway, the game was tied again by the half at 27 a piece.  St. Kate's opened the third period on an 8-2 run for a 35-29 lead but the Luther team would soon close the gap to 35-34. The St. Kate's team would hold a 40-36 lead going into the fourth and final period and a 6-1 run by the St. Kate's team made it 46-37 and the Luther team appeared to be in a vice grip at that point.  But some clutch three-point shooting by senior-to-be Anna Madrigal sliced the St. Kate's team's lead down to a scant three points and the St. Kate's team had to hold on for dear life to secure the "W".

Another good game took place on Court 1 in the late-night 9:35 P.M. slot as the Renegades team and the Suns team went at it.  The Renegades team managed to grab an 8-6 lead by the end of the first period in a defensive-minded contest and things would stay relatively tight throughout most of the second period but a late push by the Renegades allowed them to take a 20-14 lead by the half.  The Suns team would answer the bell at the beginning of the third period; going on a 7-0 run to take a 21-20 lead only to see the Renegades team go on a 7-0 push of their own as they retook the advantage at 27-21 and held a 29-25 advantage going into the fourth and final period.  The Suns would quickly knot the game at 29-all and things would remain tight from there with each side grabbing small leads down the stretch.  With the Suns clinging to a 35-34 lead with under a minute remaining and with the ball and trying desperately to eat as much clock as possible, former St. Cloud State player and current STMA assistant coach Jen Wiese found herself open behind the three-point line and drained a game-clinching trey as the Renegades team was unable to recover.  Over on Court 2, the Rusty Pipes team bolted out to an early 9-1 lead on the Anoka-Ramsey team and held a 13-3 lead at the end of the first period.  The undersized Anoka-Ramsey team managed to get back to withing single-digit range trailing 15-8 midway through the second period but a 14-3 push by the Rusty Pipes team down the stretch of the second period gave them a 29-11 halftime lead.  A three-point shooting barrage by the Anoka-Ramsey team got them back within the single-digit range again; trailing 29-20 early in the third period but there hopes for a comeback were dashed right then and there as the Rusty Pipes team soon built its lead to 43-27 by the end of the third period and to 52-32 midway through the final period.

The league takes a break next week for the Fourth of July holiday but action will resume again on Wednesday July 13th.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League Results For Wednesday 6-22-16

Here are the results from Wednesday night's action at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League:

5:00 P.M. Games

GAC #1 - 41
Winona State - 34

Luther - 57
St. Olaf - 32


5:55 P.M. Games

Winona State - 66
Luther - 47

GAC #1 - 35
Bethel - 28


6:50 P.M. Games

Minnesota State - 53
NIACC - 35

GAC #2 - 42
St. Kate's - 36


7:45 P.M. Games

B Ballers - 84
Anoka-Ramsey - 35

Northern State - 41
Concordia St. Paul - 28

Minnesota State - 66
UW-River Falls - 45


8:40 P.M. Games

Northern State - 44
Retirees - 40

Concordia St. Paul Alumni - 64
Augsburg - 56


9:35 P.M. Games

Renegades - 41
Phatties - 20

Rusty Pipes - 49
Suns - 43


In the 5:00 P.M. slot, a good one was going on between the Winona State team and the GAC #1 team that saw the Winona State team clinging to a 12-11 lead at the end of one period in a back-and-forth battle.  The Winona State team was able to get the lead to 18-13 midway in the second period but the GAC #1 team battled right back to tie the score at 18-all with 2:30 before the half.  Winona State was able to regroup and take a 22-18 lead at the half and a 6-0 surge out of the gate early in the third period pushed that lead to 28-18.  However, the GAC #1 team would respond with a 9-0 run that cut the Winona State team's lead down to one at 28-27 late in the third period and the GAC #1 team would forge a 32-all deadlock going into the fourth period.  Fueled with momentum, the GAC #1 team opened up the fourth period with a key 7-0 run; capped by a sweet scoop shot by senior-to-be Miranda Rice for a 39-32 advantage and tough defense down the stretch enabled the GAC #1 team to get the win.  Over on Court 2, a "3" by senior-to-be Anna Madrigal helped propel the Luther team to an early 11-2 lead on the St. Olaf team in a mock IIAC-MIAC battle and the Luther team was able to hold a 17-7 lead at the end of the first period.  Solid rebounding and second chance points along with Madrigal's three-point shooting ability helped expand the Luther team's lead to 27-10 at the half enroute to a relatively easy win.

In the 5:55 P.M. slot, two teams that saw action in the earlier time slot were pitted against each other as the Winona State team; looking for a bit of redemption, got out to an early 11-6 lead on the Luther team. Although the Luther team would manage to get the game tied at 11-all midway through the first period, a late push by the Winona State team gave them a 19-13 lead going into the second period. The Luther team would manage to battle back and cut the Winona State team's lead down to 26-23 midway in the second period but the Luther team; perhaps running out of gas by this point, faltered down the stretch before the half as the Winona State team managed to go on a 12-4 run to grab a 38-27 lead at the break.  The Winona State team's size; particularly senior-to-be Kayla Timmerman's ability down low, gradually wore down the Luther team as they expanded their lead to 57-38 going into the final period to get the win.  The GAC #1 team; showing no signs of wear and tear, took on the Bethel team on Court 2 and although the Bethel team would hold a 10-9 advantage at the end of the first period, the GAC #1 team would slowly take control of things; taking a 15-12 advantage at the half and then exploding on a 14-0 run at the beginning of the third period with Rice doing much of the damage down low that helped give the GAC #1 team a 31-16 lead going into the final period. The Bethel team would manage to trim the deficit back into single-digit range but could never get within striking distance down the stretch.

A couple of interesting games on the 6:50 P.M. slot as I was joined by St. Kate's assistant coaches Tim Kjar and Tim Peper along with Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt.  On Court 1, the NIACC team; which wreaked havoc last week with a couple of wins with their run-and-gun style, jumped out to an 8-2 lead on the Minnesota State team using the same style and that worked in the first half as the NIACC team held a 16-8 lead at the end of the first period.  But this time around, things started to go awry for the NIACC team as those three-point bombs which fell last week, were off their mark this time around and Minnesota State's size started to take control; cutting the NIACC team's lead down to 16-13 midway through the second period and eventually getting things tied up at 16 a piece at the 4:44 mark before the half.  Strong rebounding enabled the Minnesota State team to take a 25-21 lead at the half and a 7-0 burst at the beginning of the third period had the Minnesota State team up 32-21 and that advantage bulged to 42-26 by the end of the third period and the NIACC team was doomed from that point on.  Over on Court 2, the GAC #2 team got out to a quick 6-0 lead on the St. Kate's team and held a 12-2 advantage early in the second period before a "3" by senior-to-be Mari Lee finally gave the St. Kate's team some much-needed life offensively as they battled back and a late second period lay-up by fellow senior-to-be LaShay Holt had St. Kate's up 17-14 at the halftime break.  Things would stay tight throughout the third period with the score deadlocked at 24 a piece going into the fourth and final period.  The GAC #2 team would get a small cushion in the fourth period and although a "3" by Holt midway through the fourth period got the St. Kate's team back to within a single possession trailing 34-32, they never could quite get over the hump down the stretch.

There were three games in the 7:45 P.M. slot.  On Court 1, the B Ballers took on a young and undersized Anoka-Ramsey team and there was never any doubt as to how this one was going to go from the opening tip as the B Ballers jumped out to an early 16-3 lead that grew to 32-8 midway through the second period and 44-8 at the half.  A much closer battle was underway on Court 2 as the Concordia St. Paul team held a 7-6 advantage in a defensive-minded battle against one of their NSIC rivals; the Northern State team.  The Concordia St. Paul team would manage to get a 15-11 lead at the half and things would stay relatively tight throughout much of the third period but the Northern State team had a key 5-0 run towards the end of the third period that turned the tables in this one as they took a 27-22 lead going into the fourth period and an 8-0 run to begin the final period suddenly made it a 35-22 ballgame and a dispirited Concordia St. Paul team could never recover.  Meanwhile, over on Court 3, a new entrant to the Midtown YWCA Summer League; the UW-River Falls team, took on Minnesota State; fresh off its victory over the NIACC team.  But Minnesota State didn't seem tired at all as they got out to a 15-8 lead at the beginning of the second period and built that lead up to 37-22 by the halftime break.  The UW-River Falls team would manage to cut the deficit back into single-digit range at 48-39 going into the fourth and final period but faltered afterward.

Probably the best game of the night took place on Court 1 in the 8:40 P.M. slot between the Northern State team and the Retirees team.  With the game tied at 6-all early on, the Retirees team used an 8-0 run to end the first period and they managed to maintain a similar cushion at the halftime break with a 20-13 lead.  The Retirees team was able to build on that cushion at the end of the third period with a ten-point 35-25 advantage but in the fourth period, the Northern State team was finally able to make inroads on the deficit; trailing 37-34 midway in the final period and 40-37 with a little over a minute left.  The Retirees team tried desperately to eat as much clock as they could but a turnover and an easy lay-up the other way by the Northern State team now had the lead down to a tenuous 40-39 count.  The Retirees team was unable to build on that one-point advantage and the Northern State team was able to steal the win on clutch free throws by senior-to-be Paige Waytashek helped seal the deal.  Over on Court 2, the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team; led by sharpshooter Carissa Wolyniec, jumped out to an early 7-2 lead on the Augsburg team but the Augsburg team would manage to regroup and take a 13-12 lead at the end of the first period.  The second period was a tight, back-and-forth affair for the most part and the Augsburg team managed to hold a 33-32 lead but a late second period 8-0 spurt by the Concordia St. Paul team gave them a 40-33 lead at the half.  The Concordia St. Paul team maintained that cushion throughout the most of the third period but the Augsburg team managed to make things interesting again in the fourth period as they whittled the deficit down into single-digit range in the fourth period and got to within striking distance trailing 54-51 midway through the final period but alas could never get any closer than that as the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team pulled away down the stretch.

In the nightcap slot, a hard-charging Renegades team took control early on the Phatties team; taking a 10-5 lead going into the second period and growing that cushion to 26-11 by the halftime break.  That lead would grow to 33-15 by the end of the third period as the Renegades team coasted from there. Over on Court 2, the Suns team jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage on the Rusty Pipes team but a 9-0 run by the Rusty Pipes team gave them an 11-8 lead and they held a 16-14 edge at the end of the first period.  The Rusty Pipes team would grow the cushion to 21-15 but some clutch three-point shooting by the Suns team helped them to tie the score at 21 a piece midway through the second period and the teams would be deadlocked at 25 by the halftime break.  Things would stay tight throughout the third period and with the Rusty Pipes team clinging to a 35-33 advantage going into the fourth and final period, they embarked on a 6-0 run that upped the lead to 41-33 and although the Suns team was able to make one final push that cut the Rusty Pipes team's lead down to 43-40 with 3:00 left, they never could bring it all the way back as the Rusty Pipes team held on for the win.

Another big week of action awaits next week Wednesday night over at the Midtown YWCA so do swing by to catch the action.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League Results For Wednesday 6-15-16


Here are the results for Wednesday night's action at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League:

5:00 P.M. Games

Minnesota State - 61
Concordia St. Paul - 60

Northern State - 53
Bethel - 45


5:55 P.M. Games

NIACC - 51
UST Grey - 49

Suns - 56
Anoka-Ramsey - 41


6:50 P.M. Games

NIACC - 63
St. Kate's - 56

GAC #2 - 52
St. Olaf - 32

Augsburg - 58
UST Grey - 39


7:45 P.M. Games

GAC #1 - 51
Concordia St. Paul Alumni - 46

UST Purple - 58
Hamline - 22

CSB - 31
Luther - 24


8:40 P.M. Games

Phatties - 46
B Ballers - 37

Renegades - 33
CSB - 23


9:35 P.M. Games

Rusty Pipes - 53
Retirees - 43

Superhoopers - 43
Renegades - 36


In the 5:00 P.M. slot, there were three NSIC teams in action.  In one game, the Northern State team jumped out to an 11-6 lead on the Bethel team out of the MIAC.  The Bethel team made a late run towards the end of the first period to narrow the gap to 13-11 but the Northern State's team strong inside presence allowed them to widen the gap to 24-14 midway in the second period.  The Bethel team would again make inroads on that deficit thanks to some solid play on both ends of the floor by junior-to-be Abby Miller that got the deficit whittled back down to single digits at the halftime break at 31-23 but the Northern State team quickly righted the ship at the beginning of the third period and had the lead back up to 44-33 by the beginning of the fourth period.  Although the Bethel team would once again get back into single-digit range late, they were unable to get over the hump as the Northern State team prevailed.  On the other court, two bitter NSIC rivals went at each other as the Concordia St. Paul team held a slim 13-9 lead on the Minnesota State team at the end of the first period and was able to maintain that same four-point cushion by the halftime break by a 26-22 count. But things changed at the start of the third period as the Minnesota State team came out on fire and grabbed a 33-28 lead midway through the period.  Sophomore-to-be Anna Schmitt came up with two big plays for her Concordia St. Paul team (three-pointer and steal and lay-up the other way) that momentarily stemmed the tide but the Minnesota State team made some big plays of its own late in the period to assume a 50-44 advantage going into the fourth and final period.  The Concordia St. Paul team made one last ditch effort late in the game; getting the deficit down to one point twice and then was able to grab a 60-59 lead with :28 left.  But the Concordia St. Paul team would have to endure yet another heartbreaking finish as the Minnesota State team was able to score with just :09 left to claim the 61-60 cliffhanger.

But the fireworks were just starting as two games in the 5:55 P.M. slot got underway.  On Court 2, the Suns team and the Anoka-Ramsey team were in a tight battle early on.  This was a clash of speed and athleticism (Anoka-Ramsey) going up against size and experience (Suns) and the speed of the Anoka-Ramsey team gave the Suns team fits early in the second period as they grabbed an 18-13 advantage.  The Suns team would manage to turn the tables with their rebounding and close the gap to one point at halftime trailing 24-23.  The third period saw the Suns team gradually take control of this one as the Anoka-Ramsey team was completely bottled up in the paint and had to rely on streaky perimeter shooting.  As such, the Suns were able to get a 40-33 lead going into the fourth quarter and built things up from there.  The real shocker of the evening came over on Court 1 as the UST Grey team jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on the NIACC team and enjoyed a seemingly comfortable 19-9 lead at the end of the first period.  But this NIACC team; known for its run-and-gun transition style that also sees a lot of three-point attempts, began to create havoc for this battle-tested UST Grey squad and they slowly but surely closed the gap back into single digits and had the UST Grey team's lead down to only 26-23 at the halftime break.  The UST Grey team desperately tried to avoid disaster but it seemed like the harder they tried, the more that things went wrong for them as the NIACC team not only began to find their shooting touch but also caused a bevy of problems on defense and forced several uncharacteristic turnovers by the UST Grey team.  The NIACC team tied the game at 28-all at the 6:21 mark of the third period and took the lead for good on a three-point shot a bit later and stretched the lead to 35-30 going into the fourth and final period.  A "3" by junior-to-be Maddie Wolkow gave UST some hope as it momentarily cut the NIACC team's lead down to 42-39 but the NIACC team would get the lead to seven at 48-41 and stretch it to ten points at 51-41 midway through the final stanza.  It was here that the UST Grey team would put on a furious rally with an 8-0 run to close the gap to two points at 51-49 but the gutty, young NIACC team staved off this last ditch attempt by the UST Grey team and pulled off a huge upset.

Things really got busy in the 6:50 P.M. slot as there were three games going on.  In one contest, the very same NIACC team, fresh off its big upset of the UST Grey team, took on another MIAC foe in the St. Kate's team and it showed no ill-affects from its earlier conquest as they jumped out to a 23-11 game and the NIACC team's 1-3-1 zone defense caused all sorts of trouble for the St. Kate's team.  To its credit, the St. Kate's team managed to collect itself and made a bit of a spurt just before the half that closed the gap to ten points at 35-25 at the half.  The St. Kate's team would get a big boost at the beginning of the third period on a three-point bomb by senior-to-be Mari Lee that got the 'Cats into single digit range but the NIACC team would find its groove down the stretch of the third period to get the lead back to ten at 48-38.  St. Kate's would make one final push in the fourth period that cut the NIACC team's lead down to five at 53-48 but they never could get any closer as the NIACC team closed out a wildly successful evening for them.  Meanwhile, the GAC #2 team was initially embroiled in a close game with a fellow MIAC foe in the St. Olaf team with the GAC #2 team clinging to a 10-9 lead at the end of the first period.  The young St. Olaf team quickly ran out of gas in the second period and the GAC #2 team had established a 25-12 lead midway through the second period and 30-18 at the half enroute to a relatively easy win.  The other game in this time slot featured the same UST Grey team; likely smarting from its upset loss to the NIACC team in the previous time slot taking on another fellow MIAC opponent in the Augsburg team.  Whether it was if the NIACC team had taken so much out of the UST Grey team with their speed or if the UST Grey team was still in a daze from the loss is unknown but what is known is that the Augsburg team jumped on the UST Grey team early and often; getting out to a quick 7-2 lead and stretching it to 12-5 by the end of the first period.  Things only got worse for the UST Grey team as Augsburg soon had a 22-12 lead midway through the second period and 27-18 by the halftime break.  It was one of those situations for the UST Grey team where they seemed to tread water and get nowhere while the Augsburg team played freely with nothing to lose.  As such, the Augsburg team bulged the lead to 44-27 by the end of the third period enroute to a stunning 58-39 win.

Three more games followed in the 7:45 P.M. slot.  In one contest, the GAC #1 team found itself in a tight contest with the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team.  The GAC #1 team held a 9-7 lead at the end of the first period and was up only by one at 25-24 by the halftime break.  The GAC #1 team held a 40-37 advantage at the end of the third period but back-to-back treys by the Concordia St. Paul team suddenly put them out in front at 43-40.  The GAC #1 team would regain its footing in the fourth period to retake a small lead and with the Concordia St. Paul team threatening late, senior-to-be Miranda Rice grabbed a huge offensive rebound of a missed free throw that got her fouled and sent her to the line for insurance freebies to seal a tough 51-46 win.  Over on Court 2, the UST Purple team jumped out to a 19-0 lead on another MIAC foe - the Hamline team enroute to a 58-22 steamrolling victory.  The other contest was a MIAC-IIAC affair as the CSB team took on the Luther team.  This one would be close throughout the first half as neither team could get any noticeable advantage and saw the CSB team holding a 15-14 razor-thin edge by the halftime break in this low-scoring tilt.  CSB was finally able to establish a six-point cushion at 24-18 by the end of the third period and maintained that cushion down the stretch for the win.

The Alumni and "mixed" squads took center stage in the later evening slots.  In the 8:40 P.M. slot, the Phatties established a 16-6 lead on the B Ballers team thanks to some strong play down in the paint by the Bray sisters (Ashley and Amber) who are currently at Dakota Wesleyan.  While the B Ballers team trimmed the deficit down to five points at 23-18 by the halftime break, the Phatties team re-established the double-digit lead at 32-22 midway through the third quarter that paved the way to victory.  The CSB team, fresh off its tough win over the Luther team in the previous time slot, took on a tough and physical Renegades team led by former University of Wisconsin standout Tamara Moore but that didn't seem to bother the CSB team - at least early on anyway as they held a 17-13 advantage at the halftime break.  But the Renegades team used its size and tough physical play that simply wore down the CSB team as they tied the score at 18-all midway through the third period and held a 21-18 lead going into the fourth period.  The Renegades team were simply too tough down low and they all but shut down the CSB team in the fourth and final period.

In the nightcap 9:35 P.M. slot, the Retirees got off to a quick 10-0 lead onthe Rusty Pipes team and enjoyed an 18-10 advantage by the end of the first period.  But the Rusty Pipes team shook off that rust and was able to turn the tables as a second period spurt enabled them to tie the contest at 22-all late in the second period and trail by only one at 25-24 by halftime.  The turning point in this contest came midway through the third period as the Rusty Pipes team assumed a 36-33 lead by the end of the third period and a score in the paint by former Macalester player Veronika Jakubovie at the beginning of the fourth period had the Rusty Pipes team off an running and they never looked back. In the other contest, the same Renegades team that had beaten CSB in the earlier time slot now took on the Superhoopers team and the Superhoopers team was able to take advantage with fresh legs for an early 10-2 lead.  But the Renegades team was able to find a second wind before the end of the period that gave them a 13-12 advantage.  A back-and-forth affair soon followed with the Renegades team up 24-23 by the halftime break.  The Superhoopers team finally was able to make a decisive move in the fourth period with things still relatively tight and a lay-up in transition by former Augsburg standout Rosinta Stromquist gave them a bit of a cushion at 41-34 and they were able to work enough time off the clock down the stretch to preserve the victory.

Things revert to a Wednesday night format next week so do plan to come out to the Midtown YWCA to catch the action.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League Results For Tuesday 6-14-16


Here are the results for the games played on Tuesday night at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League:

5:00 P.M. Games

UST Grey - 55
GAC #1 - 47

St. Olaf - 51
NIACC - 48


5:55 P.M. Games

UST Purple - 70
St. Kate's - 35

GAC #2 - 51
Luther - 48


6:50 P.M. Game

Concordia St. Paul - 47
Bethel - 36


7:45 P.M. Games

Northern State - 51
Concordia Alumni - 31

Hamline - 46
Augsburg - 44


8:40 P.M. Games

Renegades - 63
Anoka-Ramsey - 36

Suns - 53
Retirees - 46


9:35 P.M. Games

B Ballers - 65
Superhoopers - 51

Rusty Pipes - 64
Anoka-Ramsey - 50


A couple of good games in the opening 5:00 P.M. slot.  The UST Grey team bolted out to a 19-6 lead on the GAC #1 team and the Tommies used strong play down low to maintain that double-digit cushion at the halftime break up 31-20.  The GAC #1 team, however, used a 6-0 burst to start the third period and was able to eventually get to within a single possession trailing 33-31 but things went awry after that for the GAC #1 team as the UST Grey team prevailed.  St. Olaf meanwhile was able to forge a six-point 28-22 advantage on the NIACC team and, in fact, held a seemingly safe 47-37 lead at the end of the third period.  But this gamey NIACC team made a run late in the contest to close the gap to a single possession only to have two three-point attempts miss their mark as the St. Olaf team got insurance free throws to hold on for the narrow victory.  

In the 5:55 P.M. slot, the UST Purple team met the young St. Kate's team and there was never any doubt from the get-go as to how this game was going to go as the UST Purple team took the young 'Cats to the woodshed in this lopsided affair.  The battle on the adjacent court between the GAC #2 team and Luther was a much more interesting contest and you could tell early on how good of a battle this was going to be as the GAC #2 team held a slim 13-11 advantage after one period.  Things would stay close throughout much of the second period but the GAC #2 team was able to get on a late spurt just before the half to hold a 28-17 advantage at the break.  The Luther team struggled out of the gate at the beginning of the third period as the GAC #2 team built a 35-21 advantage midway thru the third period and held a 43-29 lead going into the final period.  But the Luther team made a big run in the fourth and final period behind some fabulous three-point shooting from senior-to-be Anna Madrigal and twice was able to trim the deficit to a scant point but the GAC #2 team held on for dear life and the razor thin victory.

Just one game in the 6:50 P.M. slot that pitted Bethel from the MIAC going up against Concordia St. Paul from the NSIC.  Things were nip and tuck in the first period as the Concordia St. Paul team held a 12-11 advantage going into the second period but used a key 7-0 at the beginning of the second period to build a bit of a cushion and get a 28-17 lead at the half.  The Concordia St. Paul team went right back to work at the beginning of the third period with a strong inside game.  The Concordia St. Paul team looked to have a safe 38-25 lead going into the fourth period but the Bethel squad would get a bit of a run down the stretch that briefly cut the deficit back down to single digits but it wouldn't be enough as the Concordia St. Paul team shut the door after that.

In the 7:45 P.M. slot, the Hamline team jumped out to an early 10-0 lead on the Augsburg team and stretched that to 26-13 by halftime.  Of course, it didn't hurt the Hamline team's cause that it two alumni players helping out on this night - Jordan "Flash" Sammons and Kara "The Natural" Poirer. Augsburg, however, would start the third period on a 7-0 run to get back into single-digit range and the Hamline team's lead was slashed down to four points at 31-27 going into the fourth period.  The Augsburg team would close to within a single possession but never could quite find the magic that may have turned the tide when it counted most.  The Northern State team jumped out to a 14-4 lead on the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team and held a 20-6 lead by the end of the first quarter as they methodically wore down the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team for the win.

In the 8:40 P.M. slot, the young and quick Anoka-Ramsey team gave the Renegades team fits with its speed but the Renegades used their size and experience to pull away for a relatively easy win.  A much better battle ensued on the adjacent court as the Retirees and Suns battled three full periods and were deadlocked at 36 a piece going into the fourth and final period.  It was here, however, that the Suns were able to make a decisive move with their outside shooting and transition opportunities to get the hard-fought victory.

In the the 9:35 P.M. slot, the same Anoka-Ramsey team took on the Rusty Pipes which consists of mostly former Hamline players but doing double-duty at such a late hour didn't seem to have an adverse affect on the young Anoka-Ramsey team - at least early on anyway as they trailed by only four points at 19-15 at the end of the first period.  But things quickly went south for the young Anoka-Ramsey team and once those three-point attempts wouldn't fall, the Rusty Pipes used its size and experience to get easy scores down low as they went on a 14-3 run to take a 33-18 lead midway through the second period enroute to a comfortable victory.  The Superhoopers got off to a good start on the B Ballers; building a 23-15 lead by the end of the first period thanks to savvy play by former Concordia St. Paul standout guard Jamie Jones.  But the B Ballers used a strong inside presence and rebounding to even things up at 34-all at the half and slowly built on that advantage in the third period to hold a 50-44 lead going into the fourth period and took full control from there.

Another night of action coming up tomorrow night at the Midtown YWCA so do make plans to stop in to catch the fun.  

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League Results For Wednesday 6-8-16


Here are the results from an action-packed Wednesday evening at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League:


5:00 P.M. Games

UST Grey - 40
CSB - 31

St. Kate's - 68
Augsburg - 41


5:55 P.M. Games

Winona State - 58
Concordia St. Paul - 57

GAC #1 - 57
St. Olaf - 27


6:50 P.M. Games

Winona State - 74
Minnesota State - 50

Luther - 43
Hamline - 29


7:45 P.M. Games

Northern State - 50
Retirees - 35

Superhoopers - 69
Rusty Pipes - 48

Bethel - 57
UST Purple - 36


8:40 P.M. Games

GAC #2 - 57
Anoka-Ramsey - 34

NIACC - 59
Concordia St. Paul Alumni - 49


9:35 P.M. Game

B Ballers - 56
Suns - 36


In the 5:00 P.M. slot, the St. Kate's team raced out to a 22-1 lead behind senior-to-be LaShay Holt's scoring ability in transition before the Augsburg team finally got untracked a bit but a steady diet of transition baskets and sharp perimeter shooting gave the 'Cats a 39-18 halftime advantage.  The St. Kate's team continued to pour it on in the third period getting the lead out to 51-20 and coasting from there.  Meanwhile, the UST Grey team got out to a 12-7 lead on the CSB team and although the Blazers briefly cut the deficit to two points, the UST Grey team used a late second period spurt to grab an 18-10 lead.  The CSB team struggled offensively for much of the third period and, as a result, the UST Grey team increased their lead to 22-12.  The CSB team would manage to trim the deficit to five at 24-19 going into the fourth period but also blew several easy scoring opportunities in the process and this allowed the UST Grey team to get the cushion back to ten points at 29-19 early in that final period and they maintained that cushion the rest of the way.

In the 5:55 P.M. slot, the GAC #1 team battled a familiar MIAC foe; St. Olaf and this one would be tight in the early going but a key 7-0 run led by senior-to-be Hannah Howard enabled the GAC #1 team to get a 20-10 advantage at the half.  The young St. Olaf team appeared to be stuck in neutral going into the third period as the GAC #1 team extended the lead to 25-10 and the St. Olaf team could do little to stem the tide; down 49-24 midway through the final period as the one-two punch of Howard and fellow senior-to-be Miranda Rice in the paint was a tough combo for the young Oles to handle.  The game of the night took place on adjacent court one as bitter NSIC rivals Concordia St. Paul and Winona State were pitted against each other.  The Winona State team had the early edge in this one; building an 18-9 advantage midway through the first period but Concordia St. Paul would get a bit of a burst before the end of the period that trimmed that lead down to 18-14.  That seemed to give the Concordia St. Paul team a shot of confidence as they managed to grab a 27-26 lead late in the second period and held a 34-31 edge at the halftime break.  Things would stay close in the third period as the two rival found themselves deadlocked at 50 early in the fourth quarter.  The Concordia St. Paul team would hold a 57-55 lead with 2:30 left in the game but were unable to build on it. Winona State freshman-to-be Madison Weierke got herself open with :06 left and drilled a "3" that gave the Winona State team a breath-taking 58-57 win.  No such drama in the 6:50 P.M. slot as the Luther team out of the IIAC built an early 15-5 lead on MIAC opponent Hamline and used pressure defense that forced several Piper boo-boos as the Luther team increased its lead to 29-15 at the half. That lead would grow to 34-15 midway through the third period before the Hamline team managed to get on an 8-0 run that cut some of the fat off of the deficit but Luther slammed the door shut in the fourth period enroute to a comfortable win.  Winona State; doing double-duty on this night, took on yet another NSIC rival - Minnesota State.  Winona State team would hold a small 16-14 advantage at the end of the first period and used a key 8-0 run early in the second period to build the lead to 24-14 and although Minnesota State got the deficit down to single digits again at 43-35 at the half, the Winona State team showed no letdown as they opened things up in the second half enroute to an easy win.

There were three games in the 7:45 P.M. slot.  The Northern State team nursed a small cushion in the first half to forge a 21-15 halftime lead and then used a strong presence on the boards and timely three-point shooting to pull away from the Retirees team.  The Superhoopers team got out to an early 12-6 lead on the Rusty Pipes team made up mostly of former Hamline players and cruised to an easy win.  The anticipated game in this slot was between two bitter MIAC foes; the Bethel team going up against the vaunted UST Purple team.  But it would be the Bethel team setting the tone in this contest as they managed to build a 21-14 lead early in the second period and gradually extended the lead to 26-17 midway through the second period.  Both teams used their trademark nasty defense to try and gain an edge but it would be Bethel that would have the answers on this night.  With the UST Purple team desperately trying to keep the deficit in the single-digit range, senior-to-be Shanni Moorse grabbed an offensive rebound with :01 left before the half and got a putback that gave the Bethel team a 33-22 halftime lead and that seemed to have a deflating effect on the UST Purple team afterward as they struggled on offense in the third period and the Bethel team was able to build the lead to 45-22 going into the fourth period.  Junior-to-be Abby Miller connected on a long jumper early in the fourth period that kept the beat going for the Bethel team as they also got strong contributions from senior-to-be Kalli Zimmerman and sophomore-to-be Hannah Johnson as they stunned many on this night with their twenty-one point victory including yours truly.

In the 8:40 P.M. slot, the GAC #2 team jumped out to a 12-0 lead on the young Anoka-Ramsey team and managed to get the cushion to twenty points at 31-11 by the half.  To its credit, the Anoka-Ramsey team shaved some of the fat off the deficit as they trailed 37-23 midway through the third period before the GAC #2 team regained solid footing and rolled to an easy win.  With both Howard and Rice filling in on the GAC #2 team on this night and dominating in the paint, it's easy to see why GAC will be a threat to win the conference this next season.  The interesting game in this time slot was the tilt between the NIACC team and the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team.  With its superior size, the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team looked to have a clear advantage but the NIACC team used its speed and quickness to counter the size aspect to grab a 13-9 lead late in the opening period and stretched that advantage to 19-11 by the second period.  Initially befuddled at this development, the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team settled down and began dominating on the boards and proceeded to go on a 9-0 run that had the former Golden Bears up 22-21 late in the second period.  But the NIACC team would get off to another hot start in the third period and take a 40-29 lead near the midway point of the third period.  The Concordia St. Paul Alumni team looked as if it were in the comeback mode again as sharpshooter Carissa Wolyniec drained two three-point bombs that helped to cut the NIACC team's lead down to a tenuous 45-43 count going into the fourth and final period.  The Concordia St. Pual team managed to tie the game at 45-all early in the fourth period but curiously ran out of gas after that as the NIACC team scored an upset win.

Just one game in the 9:35 P.M. slot as the Suns team built a 13-8 advantage on the B Ballers team by the end of the first period but the B Ballers team managed to get on a burst midway through the second period and they took the lead for good with 4:41 left before the half at 18-15 and managed a 24-19 lead at the halftime intermission.  The B Ballers team would stretch the lead to nine at 30-21 midway through the third period and although the Suns team would cut the B Baller team lead down to 35-30 but the B Ballers team would find its groove again going into the fourth period with a 7-0 run to make it 42-30 and would roll on to an easy win.

Next week's action features games on both Tuesday and Wednesday nights again so do try to come out and catch the action if you can.  

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League Results For Tuesday 6-7-16


Here are the results of the games on the opening night of action at the Midtown YWCA Women's College Summer League.


5:00 P.M. Games

CSB - 38
GAC #1 - 32

NIACC - 83
Anoka-Ramsey - 19


5:55 P.M. Games

GAC #2 - 54
St. Kate's - 40

UST Purple - 35
Concordia St. Paul - 33


6:50 P.M. Games

Northern State - 63
UST Grey - 39

Augsburg - 56
Hamline - 49


7:45 P.M. Game

Luther - 52
Bethel - 50


8:40 P.M. Games

Suns - 48
Concordia St. Paul Alumni - 35

B Ballers - 55
Renegades - 39


9:35 P.M. Game

Retirees - 58
Superhoopers - 47


As you can tell by the score, not much of a battle between the NIACC team from Mason City, Iowa and an undersized and inexperienced Anoka-Ramsey team as the Trojans built a 21-5 halftime and simply rolled from there.  A much better game on the other court in the 5:00 P.M. slot featured two MIAC rivals as CSB held off a challenge from the GAC #1 team.  One of the better games of the evening took place in the 5:55 P.M. slot as the UST Purple team bolted out to a big first half lead only to have Concordia St. Paul slowly but surely whittle away at the deficit.  Junior-to-be Kyrah Fredenburg got a score in the paint with :20 left in the first half that had Concordia St. Paul back in the ten-point range at 23-13 although the UST Purple team did get one more score right before the half to make it 25-13 at the intermission.  A determined Concordia St. Paul team trimmed the UST Purple's lead down to a tenuous four points at 27-23 at the end of the third period and finally had the game deadlocked at 29-all with 3:39 left in the game but UST junior-to-be Maddie Wolkow hit a huge three-pointer late in the game to save the UST Purple squad.  Another fun game in the 5:55 P.M. slot featured the GAC #2 team going up against St. Kate's.  This one was very close in the first period but a Gustie run towards the end of the second period on the strength of clutch shooting by sophomores-to-be Brooke Lemke and Kendall Thompson enable the GAC #2 team to grab a 32-25 halftime lead.  The St. Kate's team threatened to make inroads on the Gustie advantage but GAC senior-to-be Kelsey Carpenter knocked down two important threes and a strong inside presence by junior-to-be Miranda Rice helped the GAC #2 team get the victory.

In the 6:50 P.M. slot, a very big and talented Northern State squad built a 19-10 first period lead on the UST Grey team and slowly wore down the Tommies the rest of the way; building a 41-24 halftime lead and coasting from there.  A much closer game on the other court in this time slot as two other MIAC rivals; Augsburg and Hamline went at it.  Augsburg held a 14-12 lead at the end of the first period and neither side could get much of an advantage until Hamline was able to make an 8-0 push late in the second period that helped give them a 29-23 lead at the half.  The Augsburg team would battle back in the third period and get the game tied up at 32 a piece with just under five minutes left in the period.  The Hamline team never could find that one spark in the fourth period and Augsburg built a 45-39 midway through the fourth and final period and get the victory from there. The best game of the night may have come in the 7:45 P.M. in an interconference clash between Bethel and Luther.  This one was tight in the opening minutes as expected but the Bethel team managed to get a 16-10 lead at the end of the first period and a quick 5-0 spurt by the Bethel team in the opening moments of the second period made it 21-10 and the Luther team looked to be in a fix. But an unexpected 10-0 run by the Luther team ensued that now had Bethel up by a scant point at 21-20 with just under three minutes left in the half.  Luther would grab a brief 24-23 lead shortly thereafter but a score in the paint by Bethel senior to be Kalli Zimmerman gave the Bethel team a 25-24 lead at the halftime break.  Some clutch three point shooting by the Luther squad gave the Luther team a 36-31 lead late in the third period and they were able to maintain a bit of a cushion up 48-42 with 2:30 left in the game.  Bethel had one last hope as junior-to-be Abby Miller drained a "3" late and senior-to-be Shanni Moorse knocked down two free throws with :35 left that had the Bethel team within striking distance but clutch free throw shooting by the Luther team saved their cause in the end.  How cool would it be if these two teams could square off in an actual game during the season? If the powers-that-be from both conferences could get off their respective doles, a MIAC-IIAC "Challenge" could make something like this a reality.

The alumni and "mixed" squads capped off the evening.  In the 8:40 P.M. slot, the Suns team jumped out to an early 12-2 lead on a cold-shooting Concordia St. Paul Alumni team but the Concordia St. Paul team soon turned the tables; going on a 14-4 run before the half to close the gap to a much more-manageable 21-16 deficit.  With their confidence renewed, the Concordia St. Paul Alumni team knotted the contest at 23 with 4:11 left in the third period.  Things got a little physical and chippy shortly thereafter between the two squads but it would be the Suns who were able to keep their cool and regain their composure to get the victory.  The B Ballers meanwhile got out to an early 21-12 advantage on the Renegades team and, thanks to some tough work in the paint by former Minnesota Golden Gopher and current Concordia St. Paul Assistant Coach Ashley Ellis-Milan, the B Ballers extended their cushion to fourteen at 29-15 at the half.  The Renegades initially appeared to get a bit of momentum in the early moments of the third period but that quickly evaporated as the B Ballers built the lead back to fourteen at 46-32 by the end of the third period and coasted from there.  Just one game in the 9:35 P.M. slot between the Superhoopers and the Retirees.  With the score tied at 19, the Retirees hardly appeared to be a group slated to take their pension as they went on a 7-0 spurt to grab a 26-19 advantage.  Former Concordia St. Paul standout Jamie Jones scored a late bucket right before the half to trim the Retirees lead down to five at 30-25 but it was an uphill battle for the Superhoopers from there as the Retirees built a 39-30 lead early in the second half and and were able to maintain the cushion the rest of the way.

Another night of action coming up tomorrow night at the Midtown YWCA and I'll be there to catch it.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Summer Leagues About Ready To Start Up!

The month of June is now upon us and with that means the beginning of the college summer leagues.  There are two leagues here in the Twin Cities that start this next week - at the Sabes Jewish Community Center beginning Monday evening (6-6) at 5:00 P.M. and also at the Midtown YWCA beginning Tuesday (6-7) also at 5:00 P.M.  I'm still awaiting info on what and how many teams for each league that will be participating this summer but it should be fun as always.  And, as always, I'll be there to get scores and interesting tidbits from the evening's action.  Do check these leagues out if you can!