ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Northwestern College women's basketball team (15-3, 7-3 GPAC) got right back to their winning ways defeating Hastings College (8-8, 4-6 GPAC) 71-64.
"Great win after a quick turnaround against a good Hastings team," noted head coach
Kristin Rotert. "I though we played with a lot of toughness and grit down the stretch, and hit some big shots and free throws when we needed them. Molly and Taylor were exceptional on the glass and got us extra possessions at crucial times."
The combination of
Molly Schany and
Jada Cunningham helped the Raiders jump out to a quick 10-0 lead. After an early timeout, the Bronco's Taylor Beacom would break the ice for Hastings with a made jumper. A made layup by
Emilee Danner would give the Raiders a 12-6 lead but the Broncos would answer with a six-point run to tie it up. The Raiders would respond and take a 22-14 lead at the end of the first.
The teams would trade baskets to begin the second quarter, a made three by
Devyn Kemble would give the Raiders their largest lead of the half at 13. Northwestern would continue to keep their lead around ten behind nine quarter points from Schany. The Raiders would take a 41-32 lead into the halftime break.
Coming out of the break the Raiders would continue to extend their lead. Another Kemble three would give Northwestern a 16 point advantage, followed by a pair of free throws from
Maddie Jones, giving the Raiders their biggest lead of the day. A stout Raider defense would hold the Broncos to 30 percent shooting for the quarter and another set of Jones' free throws would give them a 64-44 lead. Four straight free throws from the Broncos would cut the Raider lead to 64-48 at the end of the third.
A 12-2 run by the Broncos throughout the final frame would chip away at the Raider's lead. With a six point lead, Kemble would answer the bell for the Raiders draining a corner three giving the Raiders a 71-62 lead, putting them in front for good.
Schany (So., Emmetsburg, Iowa/Emmetsburg) would lead all scorers with 21, she also notched her fourth double-double of the season with 14 rebounds. Kemble (Sr., Panora, Iowa/Panorama) would knock down four triples and finish with 15 points for the afternoon. Cunningham (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) finished with 12 points and three steals. Jones (Jr., Twin Lakes, Iowa/South Central Calhoun) would finish with 10 points, eight of those coming from the free throw line.
Taylor VanderVelde (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) would finish with an impressive 10 rebounds, she would also have eight points and three assists.
Up Next: The Raiders will hit the road to face Mount Marty University in Yankton, S.D. on Wednesday, Jan. 12, with tip off set for 6 p.m.
