Orange City - Northwestern fell to Dakota Wesleyan 63-59 on Wednesday at the Bultman Center.

In the first quarter, Northwestern took an early lead with Allison Piercy scoring a 3-pointer at 9:00, assisted by Ashtyn Wobig. Piercy continued to perform well, adding a layup and a free throw to keep the Raiders competitive. The Tigers briefly took control, leading by seven points at 5:03, but the Raiders closed the gap with contributions from Molly Schany, who scored six points, including two free throws and two jumpers. Hali Anderson kept the team within striking distance, adding crucial free throws following a technical foul on the Tigers, ending the quarter with the Tigers ahead by one point, 21-20.

In the second quarter, the Raiders started strong with Anderson scoring a jumper at 9:03, giving them a brief lead. Anderson played a significant role, contributing with a steal and a defensive rebound, and later scoring a layup to cut the Tigers' lead to 26-24. Despite an active defensive effort, including multiple steals from Anderson and Akaysa Duitscher, the Raiders trailed 35-30 at the end of the quarter, with Schany contributing a late layup assisted by Kylie Foss.

In the third quarter, the Raiders scored 11 points while the Tigers scored 15. The Raiders' Anderson contributed with a layup at the 8:10 mark and later added a jumper, showing consistent scoring effort. Lexie Van Kekerix was active defensively, recording two blocks and a steal. Foss also made an impact by scoring a layup and a jumper, and capped off the quarter with a crucial defensive rebound. Despite turnovers, the Raiders maintained competitive play throughout the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Raiders outscored the Tigers 18-13. Piercy initiated the scoring with a 3-pointer, assisted by Wobig, at the start of the quarter. Despite a turnover by Piercy, the Raiders maintained momentum with Anderson and Schany contributing key points, and Wobig closing the gap further with two 3-pointers in quick succession, both assisted by teammates. This effort brought the Raiders within striking distance, but the Tigers managed to maintain a narrow lead until the end, securing the victory despite the Raiders' strong push with multiple chances to tie the game in the final 90 seconds.

Northwestern Top Performers

Hali Anderson
- 20 points
- 7 field goals made
- 6 free throws made
- 3 steals

Molly Schany
- 12 rebounds
- 5 field goals made
- 13 points

Lexie Van Kekerix
- 2 blocks
- 5 rebounds
- 3 assists

Up Next: The Raiders will stay at home to play against College of Saint Mary on Saturday January 11th at 2 PM.