Was back at the Butler Center again on this Monday evening to take in the contest between host St. Kate's and visiting Hamline which has been red-hot as of late. I once again had the pleasure of sitting with former St. Kate's head coach Gary Rufsvold for this one and I was soaking up every tidbit of game analysis that he had to offer throughout.
Neither team could do very much in the opening couple of minutes but once Piper sophomore sensation Jordan Sammons was able to connect with a lay-up in transition at the 17:36 mark Hamline could do little wrong after that. Wildcat junior sharpshooting guard Kristen Lee, who would be on her way to a 16-point performance on this night, briefly gave St. Kate's the lead at 3-2 with her bomb from the left corner at the 16:42 mark. But from there, Hamline would embark on a 10-2 run; highlighted by seniors Steph Pilgrim and Cassidy Vogt. Vogt would manuever inside for a score at the 16:24 mark and then it was Pilgrim draining one of her patented rainbow "3's"; this one from the right top area at the 15:41 mark. Then it would be Vogt showing the crowd that she's a threat from behind the arc as well as the senior from New London banged one home from the right top area as well at the 15:00 mark.
The 'Cats would gradually make inroads on the Hamline advantage. Lee knocked down another trey at the 12:34 mark and after withstanding a lay-up by Sammons and another Pilgrim "3", St. Kate's would eventually be able to get to within one by the 7:00 mark as sophomore Sarina Baker knocked down two freebies at the 9:20 mark and then was able to muscle inside for a score in the paint at the 8:47 mark. With 7:00 left, St. Kate's had a 7-3 advantage in the foul count when lanky 6'0" sophomore forward Sarah Mong was sent to the line and promptly knocked down two freebies that whittled the Hamline lead down to 17-16. Unfortunately for the 'Cats, they failed to take advantage of this and Hamline quickly negated the foul advantage St. Kate's had. Pilgrim banged home yet another "3"; this one from the right wing with 5:54 left and then it was Vogt getting into the paint to snare an offensive rebound for a putback - and drawing a foul in the process that, along with the obligatory freebie, made it a 23-16 game. Then, beginning at the 3:24 mark Vogt began to steal the spotlight. She canned her second trey of the evening; this one from the top of the key for a 26-18 lead. More dirty work by the lanky 6'0" senior in the paint got her fouled and sent her to the line with 2:50 left where she promptly knocked down two free throws. On Hamline's ensuing possession, Vogt was able to manuever inside again at the 2:23 mark for a score and then with :55 left Vogt put an exclamation point on her terrific first half when she nailed a jumper near the left elbow for a commanding 32-19 Hamline lead. Lee would try to cut into that lead with her jumper from the top of the key area; just inside the arc with :29 left but speedy junior JeNaya Brown would make sure Hamline would keep the momentum - and the lead - with her "3" from the left wing with just :03 left on the clock that made it a two touchdown advantage for the Pipers at 35-21 at the halftime break.
After an enjoyable halftime where I got to chat with Richfield standout Haley Lindblom, the Pipers picked up right where they left off. The sensational Sammons, easily the best athlete in the conference, was able to score on a drive and finish at the 19:02 mark and then it was Brown showing she can get inside with her 5'2" frame for a finish at the 18:12 mark. After Sammons was able to knock down one shot from the charity stripe at the 17:30 mark, it was (guess who?!) Vogt draining another "3" from the right wing that upped the Hamline lead to 43-25 and prompted St. Kate's Head Coach Sean Pinkerton to call a timeout to reorganize his troops.
Unfortunately for the 'Cats, however, the Pipers were not going to be cooled off anytime soon. Sammons would connect with a running jumper in the lane in transition at the 13:34 mark and then it was Pilgrim draining yet another "3"; this one from the left wing at the 11:25 mark and then Pilgrim showed she can also get into the paint area to finish as she did at the 10:52 mark for a 50-29 Hamline lead. Another thirty second timeout called by Pinkerton did not extinguish the blaze the Pipers were causing. Pilgrim drained yet ANOTHER "3" from the left wing area with 9:33 left and then it was freshman reserve Emily Behrman putting on a show as she did honors from behind the arc at the top of the key with 9:10 left and then again with 8:28 left from the very same spot. Another timeout called by Pinkerton. Again, not much difference in the result. With 7:48 left, Sammons stole the ball in the Wildcat backcourt and was fouled and was able to knock down one freebie that made it a 60-33 ballgame. St. Kate's would have a few flashes coming down the home stretch: a "3" by sophomore forward Mary Neumann from the left corner with 5:19 left and an athletic lay-up by Mong with 1:43 left. Hamline Head Coach Kerri Stockwell inserted her reserves in the final minute and it allowed freshman Julia Albrecht to knock down a "3" from the right top area to get her name in the box score as the Pipers recorded a resounding 66-43 win that keeps them firmly entrenched in that fifth spot in the MIAC playoff race.
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