Took in the Monday night game between host UST and Concordia; a make-up game that was postponed back on December 11th due to the snownami that hit the Twin Cities on that fateful Saturday. This figured to be a good one and with the Cobbers having enjoyed success at UST for the last two season you had to wonder if the Tommies would be able to break the Cobber jinx.
The first half sure made it seem like the Tommies were more than up to the task. Despite Cobber senior Brittany Jossart's racing with the opening tip and finishing for a quick 2-0 Concordia lead, the Tommies would soon get the burst they were looking for. With UST holding a 7-6 lead at the 16:51 mark, Tommie junior PG Carolyn Dienhart converted on a lay-up and then freshman phenom Taylor Young finished inside a bit later that put the Tommies up 11-6. After fellow freshman Maggie Weiers scored inside, sophomore guard Kellie Ring drained a "3" from the top of the key at the 12:49 mark for a 17-6 Tommie lead. Freshman Kelly Brandenburg finished the 14-0 UST run when she finished in transition and the Cobbers looked like they had been clubbed. Concordia freshman Kelsey Walloch finally stopped the bleeding when she was able to score inside at the 10:43 mark but this looked like a night that UST would put an end to their misery with Concordia.
Or so it SEEMED. One thing about this senior-laden Concordia team is that they are incredibly resilient and mentally tough and they believe they can win any game they're in no matter what the situation or score. Maggie Bauernfeind was able to make it a 23-13 game when she hit a long "3" as the shot clock expired at the 8:51 mark. Sophomore reserve Tricia Sorenson cut the Tommie lead to single digits with a "3" of her own at the 7:42 mark. The Tommie lead was trimmed to a mere six points on two occasions when 6'4" freshman Alexandra Lippert scored on a turnaround jumper at the 6:53 mark and then again at the 5:48 mark when sophomore Emily Thesing scored on a jumper. UST would wake up from its slumber soon enough to get its lead back up to double digits when junior reserve post Sarah Smith scored to make it a 34-22 game and Concordia went a little cold down the stretch save for Jossart's "3" with :24 left before intermission. Even though UST was up at the half 36-27, this game suddenly had a much different complexion to it than what it did early on.
UST looked like it had it going again early on in the second half when senior forward Jazmin Townsend hit a "3" from the right wing for a 42-29 Tommie lead. Slowly, the Cobbers would whittle and chip away at the Tommie advantage. Senior Lindsey Schultz nailed a "3" from the right wing at the 13:54 mark and then Thesing drilled a "3" of her own from the left corner some 30 seconds later. After Sorenson connected with a long two- pointer at the 12:36 mark, the Tommie lead had been cut to a 44-39 count and perhaps this is where panic began to set in with the home team. Schultz then scored off the glass at the 11:52 mark and then Jossart tied it 44-all when she hit a "3" from the right wing.
Concordia's 2-3 zone in the second half also was causing UST a ton of trouble. Strangely quiet on this night, willowy three-point queen Ali Johnson finally got untracked when she hit a "3" from the right top at the 6:19 mark that would put the Tommies back out in front 50-49. Alas, it would be the last lead the Tommies would enjoy in this contest. Lippert put the Corn in front for good when she was able to snare a rebound and get a putback and after senior Erica Nord's jumper Jossart burned the Tommies again with a "3" from the right wing at the 4:10 mark for a 56-50 Concordia lead. Lippert's shot off the glass at the 3:30 mark increased it to 58-50 and despite Townsend's short shot at the 2:38 mark the Tommies were once again doomed against their rivals from Moorhead. Concordia was able to ice the game from the charity stripe for a 63-55 Cobber win.
It was an exhubarant Concordia team that was celebrating yet another win in St. Paul against the Tommies. Head Coach Jessica Rahman praised her senior leadership comprised of Schultz, Nord and Jossart who helped show the way for the young ones in this one. They just seem like a team that knows what it has to do to come up with big wins on the road and that experience and ability could be huge for this team once playoff time rolls around.
Los Angeles Rams
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
St. Kate's vs Augsburg 1-22-11
After watching Macalester finish off Bethel I hopped back into my car and headed back over to the Minneapolis side of town to Augsburg as they were hosting St. Kate's in one of the 3:00 P.M. matchups of the day. I got in there at halftime with St. Kate's holding a slim 32-29 lead in what appeared to be a very tight first half.
After sophomore Brittany Dyshaw's bucket at the 17:30 mark pulled the host Auggies to within one, it then seemed to become a three-point shooting contest. Wildcat freshman Kristen Lee drained one from the right corner at the 16:52 but Auggie sophomore newcomer Brittany Zins did the same from the left corner that once again narrowed the Wildcat lead to one at 35-34 at 16:11. Less than a minute later, Zins again struck from behind the perimeter that tied things at 37-all. St. Kate's was then able to forge ahead again thanks to seniors Laura Kalbfell and Sonja Ellingson but the Auggies refused to back down. Sophomore Tracee Schrank drained a "3" from the right wing at the 11:44 mark and after Ellingson responded with a shot inside for St. Kate's Schrank struck again for the Auggies behind the arc that cut the Wildcat lead to five.
Auggie junior Lexi Thompson tied things at 50-all when teammate Serenae Levine spotted Thompson cherry-picking around the half-court area on a fast break. St. Kate's resorted to going to a 2-3 zone after Zins' 3-point barrage from the outside. Moreover, Augsburg was getting very aggressive on defense with their trapping schemes that often caught the Wildcats flat-footed. After Levine got Augsburg in front with two foul shots at the 7:52 mark, the issue would be very close; very tight coming down the stretch. The big moment seemd to come with just :55 seconds remaining with the score tied at 61-all when Kalbfell, trying to make a strong move down low was called for the offensive foul; much to the chagrin of the St. Kate's side. Augsburg made key free throw shots when they counted that got them a 64-61 lead that would prove to be the final margin. St. Kate's would get one more crack to try and send it into overtime on their last possession as Lee narrowly missed making an NBA-range three with four seconds left.
After sophomore Brittany Dyshaw's bucket at the 17:30 mark pulled the host Auggies to within one, it then seemed to become a three-point shooting contest. Wildcat freshman Kristen Lee drained one from the right corner at the 16:52 but Auggie sophomore newcomer Brittany Zins did the same from the left corner that once again narrowed the Wildcat lead to one at 35-34 at 16:11. Less than a minute later, Zins again struck from behind the perimeter that tied things at 37-all. St. Kate's was then able to forge ahead again thanks to seniors Laura Kalbfell and Sonja Ellingson but the Auggies refused to back down. Sophomore Tracee Schrank drained a "3" from the right wing at the 11:44 mark and after Ellingson responded with a shot inside for St. Kate's Schrank struck again for the Auggies behind the arc that cut the Wildcat lead to five.
Auggie junior Lexi Thompson tied things at 50-all when teammate Serenae Levine spotted Thompson cherry-picking around the half-court area on a fast break. St. Kate's resorted to going to a 2-3 zone after Zins' 3-point barrage from the outside. Moreover, Augsburg was getting very aggressive on defense with their trapping schemes that often caught the Wildcats flat-footed. After Levine got Augsburg in front with two foul shots at the 7:52 mark, the issue would be very close; very tight coming down the stretch. The big moment seemd to come with just :55 seconds remaining with the score tied at 61-all when Kalbfell, trying to make a strong move down low was called for the offensive foul; much to the chagrin of the St. Kate's side. Augsburg made key free throw shots when they counted that got them a 64-61 lead that would prove to be the final margin. St. Kate's would get one more crack to try and send it into overtime on their last possession as Lee narrowly missed making an NBA-range three with four seconds left.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Bethel vs Macalester 1-22-11
Started off this Saturday over at Macalester's Leonard Center to catch the clash between suddenly slumping Bethel and suddenly rising Macalester. This obviously looked to be a relatively even match-up but as this game progressed, the chinks in the Bethel armor became glaringly apparent.
Despite blowing a couple of scoring opportunities early on, Bethel did get off to a decent start. Sophomore post Scottie Moats scored inside at the 16:45 mark and cashed in on the free throw after being fouled. Shortly afterwards, junior Taylor Sheley knocked down a pair of freebies after being fouled and Bethel had a 7-2 lead. Unfortunately for the Royals, the good times didn't last. Junior Maggie Wood drove inside and finished at the 14:25 mark. Then, at the 13:10 mark, it was time for the Rene Sisters show as junior Shannon canned a "3" for a 9-all game. Moats would put Bethel back up briefly after she scored and was fouled but then steadily improving junior post Holly Schiedermayer put Mac back in front at 13-12 at the 10:34 mark.
After Mac had gone ahead 17-14, Sheley knocked down a "3" that once again tied things up. However, just when head coach John Herbrechtsmeyer may have thought he had things going again, Sheley went out with an ankle injury and although she returned in the second half she was clearly not the same. The game would bobble back and forth between the two teams for the next few minutes. Bethel held the lead at 28-27 when Shannon's twin sister Jessica canned a "3" from the left corner - and was fouled by Bethel senior Shana Grejtak in the process; a rare bad mistake by the senior. The resulting 4-point play put Mac in front 31-28 and although sophomore Kelly Swenson would cut the margin back to one point again before the half, the Scots clearly had momentum going their way.
The Royals would enjoy one last lead in the early going of the second half when Moats made two free throws at the 19:15 mark. But from thereout, Macalester would be in control. Bethel went into a 2-3 zone in the hope of choking off the middle but the Scots made easy work of it. The turning point seemed to have come at the 14:48 mark when Wood put down a pretty shot to give Macalester a 40-36 lead that she quickly followed up with another short shot that pushed the lead to 42-36. At the 12:01 mark, speedy sophomore Kyanna Jones out of Osseo High School manuevered on the baseline and finished for a 47-41 Scot lead. Schiedermayer finished down low a few moments later and then freshman Taylor Pike nailed a "3" from the left wing for a 52-41 Macalester lead at the 10:55 mark and Coach Herbie quickly called a timeout to try and get his team settled down.
Bethel would make one last run coming down the stretch when a dinged-up Sheley knocked down a "3" from the right corner that cut the Scots lead down to 6 points at the 1:35 mark. Swenson would also get a late "3" as well but Macalester was already in the process of icing this game away from the charity stripe which they did by a final count of 69-61. After a very good start to the new year by the Royals, they have suddenly fallen on tough times and injuries and other owwies have caught up with them. Besides Sheley's ankle, Swenson is also doing her best Jack Youngblood imitation by fighting through shin splints or a badly bruised leg bone. Grejtak was gracious enough to talk to me afterward and she admitted that this team needs to find a way to get its swagger back; that confidence back when they were in the midst of that 7-game winning streak that suddenly seems like a distant memory.
Despite blowing a couple of scoring opportunities early on, Bethel did get off to a decent start. Sophomore post Scottie Moats scored inside at the 16:45 mark and cashed in on the free throw after being fouled. Shortly afterwards, junior Taylor Sheley knocked down a pair of freebies after being fouled and Bethel had a 7-2 lead. Unfortunately for the Royals, the good times didn't last. Junior Maggie Wood drove inside and finished at the 14:25 mark. Then, at the 13:10 mark, it was time for the Rene Sisters show as junior Shannon canned a "3" for a 9-all game. Moats would put Bethel back up briefly after she scored and was fouled but then steadily improving junior post Holly Schiedermayer put Mac back in front at 13-12 at the 10:34 mark.
After Mac had gone ahead 17-14, Sheley knocked down a "3" that once again tied things up. However, just when head coach John Herbrechtsmeyer may have thought he had things going again, Sheley went out with an ankle injury and although she returned in the second half she was clearly not the same. The game would bobble back and forth between the two teams for the next few minutes. Bethel held the lead at 28-27 when Shannon's twin sister Jessica canned a "3" from the left corner - and was fouled by Bethel senior Shana Grejtak in the process; a rare bad mistake by the senior. The resulting 4-point play put Mac in front 31-28 and although sophomore Kelly Swenson would cut the margin back to one point again before the half, the Scots clearly had momentum going their way.
The Royals would enjoy one last lead in the early going of the second half when Moats made two free throws at the 19:15 mark. But from thereout, Macalester would be in control. Bethel went into a 2-3 zone in the hope of choking off the middle but the Scots made easy work of it. The turning point seemed to have come at the 14:48 mark when Wood put down a pretty shot to give Macalester a 40-36 lead that she quickly followed up with another short shot that pushed the lead to 42-36. At the 12:01 mark, speedy sophomore Kyanna Jones out of Osseo High School manuevered on the baseline and finished for a 47-41 Scot lead. Schiedermayer finished down low a few moments later and then freshman Taylor Pike nailed a "3" from the left wing for a 52-41 Macalester lead at the 10:55 mark and Coach Herbie quickly called a timeout to try and get his team settled down.
Bethel would make one last run coming down the stretch when a dinged-up Sheley knocked down a "3" from the right corner that cut the Scots lead down to 6 points at the 1:35 mark. Swenson would also get a late "3" as well but Macalester was already in the process of icing this game away from the charity stripe which they did by a final count of 69-61. After a very good start to the new year by the Royals, they have suddenly fallen on tough times and injuries and other owwies have caught up with them. Besides Sheley's ankle, Swenson is also doing her best Jack Youngblood imitation by fighting through shin splints or a badly bruised leg bone. Grejtak was gracious enough to talk to me afterward and she admitted that this team needs to find a way to get its swagger back; that confidence back when they were in the midst of that 7-game winning streak that suddenly seems like a distant memory.
GAC vs Bethel 1-19-11
Was at Bethel's Robertson Center on the eve of my birthday for the showdown between Gustavus and host Bethel. This would prove to be a pivotal game for the Royals who had their seven-game win streak snapped two nights before down at St. Olaf.
The Royals would start off well; getting to a 7-3 lead by the 16:13 mark thanks to junior Taylor Sheley's 3-pointer and sophomore Kelly Swenson's free throws. But GAC would soon battle back to take the lead. After sophomore Abby Rothenbuehler tied the game at 7-all with her drive and finish, junior Ava Perry would knock down a "3" from the top of the key at the 13:15 mark to put the Gusties in front 12-11. Soon after, reigning Miss North Dakota Basketball Eli Benz would get a steal and finish to make it 14-11 for the black and gold. Then Rothenbuehler again tallied another bucket after taking a beautiful pass for a 16-11 lead. Bethel would creep back into it at the 10:19 mark after senior Shana Grejtak scored off a drive to cut the Gustie lead to 18-16. But, more concerning for GAC was when freshman Julia Dysthie went down with an apparent knee injury and would not return.
Being under the gun again, the Gusties soon responded. It started when Perry knocked down consecutive 3-pointers from both the right and left wings that suddenly expanded the Gustie lead to 24-16. Junior PG Colleen Ruane sank a long 2-pointer at the 7:49 mark and then senior post Molly Mathiowetz got inside and finished to make it 28-16 GAC. Then, at the 6:26 mark Ruane nailed her own "3" from the left wing and, just like that, GAC was up by 15 points at 31-16. Now, Bethel had to respond and they did in the late stages of the first half. Sophomore post Scottie Moats was able to cut the GAC lead to single digits when she scored inside at the 2:31 mark and a bit lter Grejtak scored and was fouled in the process; giving her a chance to sink to freebies which she did to cut GAC's lead to 36-30. Grejtak would hit two more charity-stripe shots less than a minute later to cut the deficit down to a scant four points. Although GAC was able to get the margin back to seven points for a 41-34 lead going into the break at intermission, Bethel certainly had to feel somewhat better about itself than it did when they were down by 15.
Determined not to have a letdown like they did two nights ago against Augsburg, the Gusties came out firing on all cylinders in the second half. Sophomore Kelsey Florian hit a "3" at the 18:30 mark and fellow sophomore Steph Comer did the same from the right top at the 14:04 mark and once again the GAC lead was back to double digits; a cushion they would not relinquish the rest of the way. The frustration for Bethel which was suddenly sputtering offensively, boiled over at the 9:56 mark when Moats, who was called for a foul, must have said something that caught the refs attention as she was also slapped up with a "T" that gave Moats her fifth foul and sent her to the bench. Molly Mathiowetz was stellar after that episode and the Gusties would come away with another huge road win 77-64.
I think this game was pivotal for both squads because Bethel, which had been riding high after that thrilling win four days ago against Concordia now found itself struggling suddenly while the Gusties looked like a team that had just as quickly found itself and quite possibly had righted the ship after a somewhat disastrous conference start.
The Royals would start off well; getting to a 7-3 lead by the 16:13 mark thanks to junior Taylor Sheley's 3-pointer and sophomore Kelly Swenson's free throws. But GAC would soon battle back to take the lead. After sophomore Abby Rothenbuehler tied the game at 7-all with her drive and finish, junior Ava Perry would knock down a "3" from the top of the key at the 13:15 mark to put the Gusties in front 12-11. Soon after, reigning Miss North Dakota Basketball Eli Benz would get a steal and finish to make it 14-11 for the black and gold. Then Rothenbuehler again tallied another bucket after taking a beautiful pass for a 16-11 lead. Bethel would creep back into it at the 10:19 mark after senior Shana Grejtak scored off a drive to cut the Gustie lead to 18-16. But, more concerning for GAC was when freshman Julia Dysthie went down with an apparent knee injury and would not return.
Being under the gun again, the Gusties soon responded. It started when Perry knocked down consecutive 3-pointers from both the right and left wings that suddenly expanded the Gustie lead to 24-16. Junior PG Colleen Ruane sank a long 2-pointer at the 7:49 mark and then senior post Molly Mathiowetz got inside and finished to make it 28-16 GAC. Then, at the 6:26 mark Ruane nailed her own "3" from the left wing and, just like that, GAC was up by 15 points at 31-16. Now, Bethel had to respond and they did in the late stages of the first half. Sophomore post Scottie Moats was able to cut the GAC lead to single digits when she scored inside at the 2:31 mark and a bit lter Grejtak scored and was fouled in the process; giving her a chance to sink to freebies which she did to cut GAC's lead to 36-30. Grejtak would hit two more charity-stripe shots less than a minute later to cut the deficit down to a scant four points. Although GAC was able to get the margin back to seven points for a 41-34 lead going into the break at intermission, Bethel certainly had to feel somewhat better about itself than it did when they were down by 15.
Determined not to have a letdown like they did two nights ago against Augsburg, the Gusties came out firing on all cylinders in the second half. Sophomore Kelsey Florian hit a "3" at the 18:30 mark and fellow sophomore Steph Comer did the same from the right top at the 14:04 mark and once again the GAC lead was back to double digits; a cushion they would not relinquish the rest of the way. The frustration for Bethel which was suddenly sputtering offensively, boiled over at the 9:56 mark when Moats, who was called for a foul, must have said something that caught the refs attention as she was also slapped up with a "T" that gave Moats her fifth foul and sent her to the bench. Molly Mathiowetz was stellar after that episode and the Gusties would come away with another huge road win 77-64.
I think this game was pivotal for both squads because Bethel, which had been riding high after that thrilling win four days ago against Concordia now found itself struggling suddenly while the Gusties looked like a team that had just as quickly found itself and quite possibly had righted the ship after a somewhat disastrous conference start.
Gustavus vs Augsburg 1-17-11
Was at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall on this Wednesday night for the clash between visiting Gustavus and host Augsburg. I got there early to watch the JV game; a contest in which the Gusties won handily. The main event looked to be a gimme for the Gusties as well but they've been burned before when they came in with that attitude. Even more special on this night for GAC was that former GAC standout Angie Peterson was in attendance to watch her alma mater.
Promising Auggie sophomore Brittany Dyshaw got things started off with a jumper from the left corner at the 19:08 mark and things would stay relatively close for the next 6-7 minutes. Fellow sophomore Brittany Zins; a star at Bloomington Kennedy who transferred from Northern State to Augsburg, cut the Gustie lead to 13-10 after she got inside to score but the Gusties got on the move after that. GAC junior Ava Perry scored on a layup and was promptly fouled by Augsburg's Lexi Thompson. After Perry converted on the free throw, Gustie freshmen Eli Benz and Julia Dysthie got in on the act with Benz stealing the ball and getting it to Dysthie who got the layup to make it 18-10. Both Benz and Dysthie would can 3-pointers that bloated the Gustie lead to 24-12 by the 11:51 mark. Junior Colleen Ruane's "3" from the left wing made it 29-14 GAC at the 9:00 minute mark. The Gustie blitzkrieg over the next seven minutes that was capped with Perry's "3" from the top of the key resulted in a 32-8 run and a bulging 45-18 lead by the 2:25 mark. Augsburg would be able to pick it up a bit coming down the stretch but the 47-24 lead GAC had at the half clearly had Augsburg in a hole the size of the Grand Canyon.
The one thing you have to guard against when you go into the locker room at the half with such a huge lead is to guard against a letdown coming out for the second half. GAC looked like it was satisfied with such a big lead at the start of the second half and a fired-up Augsburg team was able to battle back. Again, it was Dyshaw starting it off for the Auggies as she knocked in a short shot off the glass. But the real story of the spirited Augsburg second half rally may have been unheralded sophomore Courtney Barthel who simply went on a tear. Barthel knocked down three Auggie FG's in the span of a minute that cut the Gustie lead to 47-32 by the 17:52 mark. After a Molly Geske bucket for GAC, Barthel again scored at the 16:51 mark off the glass that again sliced the deficit to 15. GAC would get back into control over the next few minutes; getting the lead back up to around the 20-point margin. But Augsburg would catch a second wind shortly after the midway point of the second half. Dyshaw again would lead the charge. She scored on a drive inside at the 8:17 mark and then went coast to coast after a steal and finished on the home end that sliced GAC's lead to 71-55. Dyshaw, though, because of her aggressive play, also managed to pick up her fourth foul at the 7:37 mark. Still, the Auggies were able to put in another major scare into the visitors. Zins knocked down a "3" at the 6:29 mark and after junior Kandace Bostick knocked down a pair of free throws, Dyshaw would snare an offensive rebound and would finish with a putback that suddenly cut the big Gustie lead down to only 12 points at 79-67 by the 4:32 mark. By this time, GAC head coach Mickey Haller had seen enough and inserted her starters back in the line-up and the tide quickly turned as the Gusties had the lead back up to the 20-point mark going down the stretch and they would wind up winning this one 91-70.
A good win for the Gusties on the road as they faced an improving, young Augsburg bunch that is ever so slowly getting better. While AP's attendance in the stands had to be special for Haller, it was just as good to see GAC freshman phenom Abbie Arends get into the game late to show some of her stuff. She will something special to watch over the next three years.
Promising Auggie sophomore Brittany Dyshaw got things started off with a jumper from the left corner at the 19:08 mark and things would stay relatively close for the next 6-7 minutes. Fellow sophomore Brittany Zins; a star at Bloomington Kennedy who transferred from Northern State to Augsburg, cut the Gustie lead to 13-10 after she got inside to score but the Gusties got on the move after that. GAC junior Ava Perry scored on a layup and was promptly fouled by Augsburg's Lexi Thompson. After Perry converted on the free throw, Gustie freshmen Eli Benz and Julia Dysthie got in on the act with Benz stealing the ball and getting it to Dysthie who got the layup to make it 18-10. Both Benz and Dysthie would can 3-pointers that bloated the Gustie lead to 24-12 by the 11:51 mark. Junior Colleen Ruane's "3" from the left wing made it 29-14 GAC at the 9:00 minute mark. The Gustie blitzkrieg over the next seven minutes that was capped with Perry's "3" from the top of the key resulted in a 32-8 run and a bulging 45-18 lead by the 2:25 mark. Augsburg would be able to pick it up a bit coming down the stretch but the 47-24 lead GAC had at the half clearly had Augsburg in a hole the size of the Grand Canyon.
The one thing you have to guard against when you go into the locker room at the half with such a huge lead is to guard against a letdown coming out for the second half. GAC looked like it was satisfied with such a big lead at the start of the second half and a fired-up Augsburg team was able to battle back. Again, it was Dyshaw starting it off for the Auggies as she knocked in a short shot off the glass. But the real story of the spirited Augsburg second half rally may have been unheralded sophomore Courtney Barthel who simply went on a tear. Barthel knocked down three Auggie FG's in the span of a minute that cut the Gustie lead to 47-32 by the 17:52 mark. After a Molly Geske bucket for GAC, Barthel again scored at the 16:51 mark off the glass that again sliced the deficit to 15. GAC would get back into control over the next few minutes; getting the lead back up to around the 20-point margin. But Augsburg would catch a second wind shortly after the midway point of the second half. Dyshaw again would lead the charge. She scored on a drive inside at the 8:17 mark and then went coast to coast after a steal and finished on the home end that sliced GAC's lead to 71-55. Dyshaw, though, because of her aggressive play, also managed to pick up her fourth foul at the 7:37 mark. Still, the Auggies were able to put in another major scare into the visitors. Zins knocked down a "3" at the 6:29 mark and after junior Kandace Bostick knocked down a pair of free throws, Dyshaw would snare an offensive rebound and would finish with a putback that suddenly cut the big Gustie lead down to only 12 points at 79-67 by the 4:32 mark. By this time, GAC head coach Mickey Haller had seen enough and inserted her starters back in the line-up and the tide quickly turned as the Gusties had the lead back up to the 20-point mark going down the stretch and they would wind up winning this one 91-70.
A good win for the Gusties on the road as they faced an improving, young Augsburg bunch that is ever so slowly getting better. While AP's attendance in the stands had to be special for Haller, it was just as good to see GAC freshman phenom Abbie Arends get into the game late to show some of her stuff. She will something special to watch over the next three years.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
UST vs St. Kate's 1-15-11
After witnessing an incredible comeback by Bethel that saw them defeat Concordia in the last seconds while doing color commentary with Tony Geer, I made the trek to the other side of town to catch two neighbors who both wear the color purple go at it - UST and St. Kate's. Coming in, I pretty much expected the Tommies to be in control of this one so when I got there and got settled in around the 6:57 mark of the 1st half that saw the Tommies up 28-18 it was going as I had expected it to go.
UST would maintain that ten point cushion for the next few minutes as both Taylor Young and Rachel Booth were able to muscle the inside but the 'Cats slowly clawed back. At the 3:22 mark senior Laura Kalbfell worked inside against a bigger Tommie front line and finished. Shortly after freshman Kristen Lee sank a "3" from the right wing that cut the deficit to 32-27. Although Young quickly responded for the visiting Tommies, Kalbfell found herself open at the top of the key at the 2:05 mark and calmly drained a "3" that cut the margin to 34-30. Although the 'Cats weren't able to get any closer than four points for the rest of the half, going in to the locker room down 38-34 to an arguably superior team gave this team reason to have hope and fight.
Perhaps the Tommies had taken their neighbor lightly. In any event, Kalbfell started the second half with a 10 footer to cut UST's lead to 38-36 and you could just tell how badly the 'Cats wanted this one. Still, the Tommies were still the same tough Tommies and junior Ali Johnson showed why she may be the premier three point shooter in the conference as she drilled one from the top that momentarily gave the UST squad a shot of adrenaline. But again, the 'Cats struck back. Sophomore Adele Simerson-Wallfred hit a long two-pointer and then Kalbfell made a beautiful move along the baseline and finished at the 14:22 mark that once again cut the deficit to a scant two points.
UST would have another mini-run left in them just before the midway point of the second half. Freshman Kelly Brandenburg knocked down a long two- pointer at the 11:43 mark that got the Tommies back up to 49-45 and then a bit later fellow freshman Maggie Weiers finished in transition that got the UST lead back up to six points. Junior Haley Loesch's three-pointer from the right wing at the 10:21 mark had the Tommies up by nine at 54-45 and feeling good about themselves again. But it was at this point that the Tommies began to lose focus and the 'Cats were ready - once again - to pounce on an opportunity. Kalbfell sank a "3" at the 9:52 mark and then junior guard Megan Zillmer finished a drive inside on the next 'Cat possession. After sophomore Andrea Gould finished inside to cut UST's lead to 54-52, senior Sonja Ellingson tied the game at 54-all at the 8:16 mark and UST head coach Ruth Sinn quickly called a timeout to try and calm down her rattled team.
Over the course of the next few minutes the issue would stay very close; very tight. The Tommies enjoyed their last lead of the contest at the 6:01 mark when senior stud Rachel Booth made a strong move inside and finished to make the score 60-58. But the Cats simply wanted it more and Kalbfell made another brilliant move inside and finished and got fouled in the process. Her ensuing charity stripe shot gave St. Kate's the lead for good at 61-60. Zillmer made two more free throws shortly afterward and Simerson-Wallfred canned a long two-pointer for a 65-60 'Cat lead. UST would never get closer than three going into the home stretch and despite a last-ditch "3" from Johnson with :04 left, the Cats had pulled off the huge upset at home winning 73-68.
An understandably disappointed Ruth Sinn was gracious enough to talk to me afterward and admitted that her team simply didn't show that sense of urgency coming down the stretch which I would have to agree with. I think that UST must have taken the 'Cats lightly as well and must have thought that they could have coasted when they were up by 9-10 points earlier in the game. But, as the saying goes, you've got to play the whole 40 minutes. I still shudder when I think of all the matches I've lost when I was up a break or two in the second or third set with a seemingly comfortable lead only to watch my opponent come back and snatch momentum (and the match) from me. In any event, it was a costly "L" for the Tommies with the toughest part of their schedule coming up.
UST would maintain that ten point cushion for the next few minutes as both Taylor Young and Rachel Booth were able to muscle the inside but the 'Cats slowly clawed back. At the 3:22 mark senior Laura Kalbfell worked inside against a bigger Tommie front line and finished. Shortly after freshman Kristen Lee sank a "3" from the right wing that cut the deficit to 32-27. Although Young quickly responded for the visiting Tommies, Kalbfell found herself open at the top of the key at the 2:05 mark and calmly drained a "3" that cut the margin to 34-30. Although the 'Cats weren't able to get any closer than four points for the rest of the half, going in to the locker room down 38-34 to an arguably superior team gave this team reason to have hope and fight.
Perhaps the Tommies had taken their neighbor lightly. In any event, Kalbfell started the second half with a 10 footer to cut UST's lead to 38-36 and you could just tell how badly the 'Cats wanted this one. Still, the Tommies were still the same tough Tommies and junior Ali Johnson showed why she may be the premier three point shooter in the conference as she drilled one from the top that momentarily gave the UST squad a shot of adrenaline. But again, the 'Cats struck back. Sophomore Adele Simerson-Wallfred hit a long two-pointer and then Kalbfell made a beautiful move along the baseline and finished at the 14:22 mark that once again cut the deficit to a scant two points.
UST would have another mini-run left in them just before the midway point of the second half. Freshman Kelly Brandenburg knocked down a long two- pointer at the 11:43 mark that got the Tommies back up to 49-45 and then a bit later fellow freshman Maggie Weiers finished in transition that got the UST lead back up to six points. Junior Haley Loesch's three-pointer from the right wing at the 10:21 mark had the Tommies up by nine at 54-45 and feeling good about themselves again. But it was at this point that the Tommies began to lose focus and the 'Cats were ready - once again - to pounce on an opportunity. Kalbfell sank a "3" at the 9:52 mark and then junior guard Megan Zillmer finished a drive inside on the next 'Cat possession. After sophomore Andrea Gould finished inside to cut UST's lead to 54-52, senior Sonja Ellingson tied the game at 54-all at the 8:16 mark and UST head coach Ruth Sinn quickly called a timeout to try and calm down her rattled team.
Over the course of the next few minutes the issue would stay very close; very tight. The Tommies enjoyed their last lead of the contest at the 6:01 mark when senior stud Rachel Booth made a strong move inside and finished to make the score 60-58. But the Cats simply wanted it more and Kalbfell made another brilliant move inside and finished and got fouled in the process. Her ensuing charity stripe shot gave St. Kate's the lead for good at 61-60. Zillmer made two more free throws shortly afterward and Simerson-Wallfred canned a long two-pointer for a 65-60 'Cat lead. UST would never get closer than three going into the home stretch and despite a last-ditch "3" from Johnson with :04 left, the Cats had pulled off the huge upset at home winning 73-68.
An understandably disappointed Ruth Sinn was gracious enough to talk to me afterward and admitted that her team simply didn't show that sense of urgency coming down the stretch which I would have to agree with. I think that UST must have taken the 'Cats lightly as well and must have thought that they could have coasted when they were up by 9-10 points earlier in the game. But, as the saying goes, you've got to play the whole 40 minutes. I still shudder when I think of all the matches I've lost when I was up a break or two in the second or third set with a seemingly comfortable lead only to watch my opponent come back and snatch momentum (and the match) from me. In any event, it was a costly "L" for the Tommies with the toughest part of their schedule coming up.
Carleton vs Bethel 1-12-11
Was over at Bethel's Robertson Center to watch host Bethel take on visiting Carleton on this Wednesday night. Bethel was not only in the midst of a nice winning streak but they were starting to play very well. I also wanted to catch a glimpse of this young Carleton team now under the reigns of first-year head coach Cassie Kosiba who was a player on the Carleton squad nearly 10 years ago when they were just beginning to make a name for themselves.
Scottie Moats is developing into one of the better post players in the conference and she got things started off for the Royals when she finished inside off the glass for a quick 2-0 lead for the home team. Then, senior Shana Grejtak got it going as she made a nice move under the basket and finished with a reverse layup. Grejtak would do more damage inside and at the charity stripe and by the 17:07 mark Bethel was up 9-2. But the pesky Knights would soon cut into that lead. Freshman Emma Purfeerst sank one from the free throw line and fellow freshman Jenny Ramey finished a drive on the left side. Then, at the 15:23 mark sophomore Akemi Arzouman put in a layup and the Royals lead was now only 9-7. But the mini-run by Carleton would not prove to be daunting for the home team. Sophomore Alicia Montbriand sank a turnaround jumper at the 14:53 mark and just a bit later freshman reserve PG Michaela Petrich sank a "3" from the top which was then followed by a Montbriand "3" from the right corner at the 12:50 mark and the lead was now double digits for the Royals. While Grejtak continued to slash inside, sophomore Kelly Swenson took her cue at the 7:36 mark when she was fouled after a hard drive to the rack that allowed her to cash in with 2 shots from the charity stripe. The lead would then expand to 15 points when junior Taylor Sheley canned a "3" and a Grejtak drive inside a little over a minute later made it 30-13 Bethel. By this time, Kosiba had seen enough and had her Knights in a 2-3 zone to try and pack in the middle but even that didn't stop Grejtak from going inside or Sheley from slaying the visitors with her 3-point shooting.
Holding a 40-21 halftime lead, the Royals didn't let up. Moats scored inside off the glass at the 18:56 mark and Grejtak again flashed her speed and athleticism when she was fouled on the next Royal possession that allowed her to sink two freebies. Though Moats did pick up her third foul at the 17:24 mark, the Royals continued to pour it on as Sheley canned a "3" from the right corner that bloated the Bethel lead to 49-26. Holding a 55-35 lead at the 10:14 mark, Sheley again went to work as she canned yet another "3" from the exact same spot and then stole the ball a few seconds later from an unsuspecting Knight and was quickly fouled. Sheley made good on the obligatory free throws and Bethel was now up 62-35. Perhaps the only downer on this night for the Royals was Moats fouling out at the 4:15 mark. As good a player as she is, I think sometimes she lets her emotions get away from her and commits not so smart fouls. But with Bethel already up 72-39 by this point, the resulting damage was barely noticeable. Reserve senior Danielle Ruberg was able to fill in nicely down the stretch and the Royals would wind up winning big by a final count of 75-43.
It will be interesting to watch both teams as this season progresses. Bethel is slowly becoming a factor in the conference race and, if they can keep everyone healthy they can be very scary come mid/late-February. Kosiba obviously has a huge task ahead of her in rebuilding this once-proud program that was seemingly a fixture in the MIAC Championship game from 2001 to 2006. This is a very young team with really only one bona fide very good player in senior PG Ally Weaver from Iowa City West High. Can Kosiba recruit like her predecessor Tammy Metcalf-Filzen did? Certainly she has paid her dues as an assistant (unlike some head coaches I know) and she seems like a good fit for this program. She was there as a player when Carleton made its first runs back in '01 and '02 so she knows what it takes to win and she'll have the support of the many great fellow alums who have played there over the last decade. Time will tell.
Scottie Moats is developing into one of the better post players in the conference and she got things started off for the Royals when she finished inside off the glass for a quick 2-0 lead for the home team. Then, senior Shana Grejtak got it going as she made a nice move under the basket and finished with a reverse layup. Grejtak would do more damage inside and at the charity stripe and by the 17:07 mark Bethel was up 9-2. But the pesky Knights would soon cut into that lead. Freshman Emma Purfeerst sank one from the free throw line and fellow freshman Jenny Ramey finished a drive on the left side. Then, at the 15:23 mark sophomore Akemi Arzouman put in a layup and the Royals lead was now only 9-7. But the mini-run by Carleton would not prove to be daunting for the home team. Sophomore Alicia Montbriand sank a turnaround jumper at the 14:53 mark and just a bit later freshman reserve PG Michaela Petrich sank a "3" from the top which was then followed by a Montbriand "3" from the right corner at the 12:50 mark and the lead was now double digits for the Royals. While Grejtak continued to slash inside, sophomore Kelly Swenson took her cue at the 7:36 mark when she was fouled after a hard drive to the rack that allowed her to cash in with 2 shots from the charity stripe. The lead would then expand to 15 points when junior Taylor Sheley canned a "3" and a Grejtak drive inside a little over a minute later made it 30-13 Bethel. By this time, Kosiba had seen enough and had her Knights in a 2-3 zone to try and pack in the middle but even that didn't stop Grejtak from going inside or Sheley from slaying the visitors with her 3-point shooting.
Holding a 40-21 halftime lead, the Royals didn't let up. Moats scored inside off the glass at the 18:56 mark and Grejtak again flashed her speed and athleticism when she was fouled on the next Royal possession that allowed her to sink two freebies. Though Moats did pick up her third foul at the 17:24 mark, the Royals continued to pour it on as Sheley canned a "3" from the right corner that bloated the Bethel lead to 49-26. Holding a 55-35 lead at the 10:14 mark, Sheley again went to work as she canned yet another "3" from the exact same spot and then stole the ball a few seconds later from an unsuspecting Knight and was quickly fouled. Sheley made good on the obligatory free throws and Bethel was now up 62-35. Perhaps the only downer on this night for the Royals was Moats fouling out at the 4:15 mark. As good a player as she is, I think sometimes she lets her emotions get away from her and commits not so smart fouls. But with Bethel already up 72-39 by this point, the resulting damage was barely noticeable. Reserve senior Danielle Ruberg was able to fill in nicely down the stretch and the Royals would wind up winning big by a final count of 75-43.
It will be interesting to watch both teams as this season progresses. Bethel is slowly becoming a factor in the conference race and, if they can keep everyone healthy they can be very scary come mid/late-February. Kosiba obviously has a huge task ahead of her in rebuilding this once-proud program that was seemingly a fixture in the MIAC Championship game from 2001 to 2006. This is a very young team with really only one bona fide very good player in senior PG Ally Weaver from Iowa City West High. Can Kosiba recruit like her predecessor Tammy Metcalf-Filzen did? Certainly she has paid her dues as an assistant (unlike some head coaches I know) and she seems like a good fit for this program. She was there as a player when Carleton made its first runs back in '01 and '02 so she knows what it takes to win and she'll have the support of the many great fellow alums who have played there over the last decade. Time will tell.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)