Women’s basketball plays successful rematch against Briar Cliff after losing last game
Photo description: Junior Abby Krieser takes a shot at the basket.
Photo credit: Esther Molina (photo from previous game)
Maddy Peters
Sports Editor
The eighth-ranked Concordia women’s basketball team avenged themselves against the 10th-ranked Briar Cliff University Chargers at a Saturday home game, beating them 68-58.
The previous matchup between the Bulldogs and the Chargers ended in a heartbreaking 74-66 loss and was the second red mark for the team this season.
The first quarter started slowly for Concordia as Briar Cliff swiftly put up nine points while shutting out attacks. Junior Abby Heemstra broke through the stalwart defense and scored six of the team’s 10 points for the first.
The Chargers forged ahead in the second quarter and kept ahead of the encroaching Bulldogs. While the score was tied 27-27 at half, it took immense effort from the Concordia women to keep it that way.
Halftime certainly invigorated the Bulldogs as junior Sadie Powell and freshman Sammy Leu created offensive opportunities and sank basket after basket. Concordia broke the tie and pulled ahead, with Briar Cliff unable to match their second wind.
Fourth quarter cemented Concordia’s lead with Briar Cliff unable to adapt to the confident offense in front of them.
Junior Taysha Rushton was the top scorer of the day with 17 points. Powell followed close behind with 16 but had the most rebounds with seven. Heemstra was the last player to break double digits, scoring 11 points. Powell, Rushton, and senior Mackenzie Toomey tied for most assists with three apiece. Junior Kendal Brigham had the most steals with three.
The slow start for the Bulldogs did not worry the coaches as they adapted their strategy to better combat the Chargers.
“I felt like we started off a little slow,” said Head Coach Drew Olson. “They made a couple shots that we didn’t expect them to hit. But I really loved our team’s toughness and our fight. Defensively we were fantastic after these first three/four minutes.”
The women’s tenacity throughout the game was a testament to the work they put in and their work to be top 10 nationally ranked.
“They’re (Briar Cliff) a good team, really good athletes,” said Olson, “but I just felt like we did a really good job at executing different things that we were focused on in this game, especially in that second half when we tell ‘em stuff at halftime and they really kind of respond in that third quarter.”
As for what is ahead as the team approaches the middle of the season, Olson has two things on his mind: the very next game and the Concordia Invitational Tournament.
“We got a long ways to go,” said Olson. “I can’t even think about that stuff. I know we got Mount Marty and we got CIT, so that’s really all I’m thinking about.”
The team is now 14-2 overall and 10-2 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. They travel to Yankton, South Dakota to play Mount Marty University on Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. and then go northeast to Mequon, Wisconsin for the Concordia Invitational Tournament starting on the 26.
