Women’s basketball faces loss to Northwestern Red Raiders, 82-73
Senior guard Abby Krieser (23) prepares to pass the ball across the court (photo from previous game).
Photo credit: Josiah Seabaugh
By Maddy Peters
Sports Editor
The Concordia women’s basketball team traveled to Orange City, Iowa on Saturday afternoon to face the Northwestern College Red Raiders, losing 82-73.
The Bulldog women were unable to avenge a heartbreaking 74-73 loss in the previous matchup at home three weeks earlier and snapped a five-game winning streak.
Concordia struggled to get an offense started in the first half. Junior Megan Belt shot off a three to respond to a Northwestern layup to put the Bulldogs a point ahead. The Red Raiders then went on an 11-0 run forcing the visitors to play catch-up. Concordia closed out the first quarter down by nine at 17-12.
The second quarter was much of the same. Concordia added 20 points to the scoresheet and Northwestern 24, but the gap from the first quarter came to haunt the Bulldogs as they went to the locker room for the half. Concordia shot 11-24 for a cool 46 percent but Northwestern had 16-31 for 52 percent efficiency. The score stood at 41-32 in favor of the Red Raiders.
The Bulldogs brought the fire they needed in the first half into the third quarter with an early 13-2 run to overtake Northwestern for the first time since Belt’s early three-pointer. The Red Raiders took back the lead, but Concordia clawed back to end the quarter with a slight 56-53 lead going into the final frame.
Concordia had a valiant effort to maintain their lead, but they were gassed. Not only that, but many players were running into foul trouble. 10 of the team’s 23 fouls happened in the fourth quarter. Junior Kristin Vieselmeyer, who came into the quarter with one foul, was fouled out with two and a half minutes to go. With Northwestern in the bonus, they were able to stack up yet another gap that the Bulldogs were unable to match even with a bonus of their own.
Graduate student Kendall Brigham was the top scorer of the day with 20 points to her name and a stunning 4-6 three-pointer rate. Vieselmeyer was able to put up 12 points before leaving the game, and senior Abby Krieser matched the junior with 12 as well.
Assists were hard to come by in the game with Brigham, Krieser and Vieselmeyer all leading the team with two apiece. Sophomore Raelyn Kelty had the most rebounds with six. Krieser also had a respectable five steals as part of Northwestern’s 17 turnovers.
What really bit Concordia in the game was the team’s ability to score those second chance points. The Bulldogs had more points off turnovers and a little less success in the paint, but only five second chance points compared to Northwestern’s 24. Concordia had a respectable 19 defensive rebounds, but only five offensive. Northwestern had 18 offensive rebounds.
Concordia now has a 13-11 overall record and an 8-10 record in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The team next plays Hastings College on Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. in Hastings and looks to avenge yet another close GPAC loss to get back in the win column.
