No. 13 DWU fends off late rally by Chargers

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – It was a night where the No. 13 Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team led for the entire night as they downed Briar Cliff University, 83-79 in a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup Wednesday night in Sioux City, Iowa.

 DWU jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead after a basket by Kaylee Kirk (Balaton, Minn.) and a 3-pointer by Jessica Mieras (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Later in the first quarter, Haylee Mork (Aberdeen, S.D.) nailed a 3-point shot of her own to put the Tigers (17-8, 10-7 GPAC) up by six points.

 With two minutes to play in the quarter, the Tigers led 17-16 and went on an 8-2 run to close out the period to hold a 25-18 lead.

 Mieras, Sarah Carr (Huron, S.D.) and Kynedi Cheeseman (Alexandria, S.D.) continued the scoring for DWU into the second frame in the opening minutes. Mieras made a basket just over two minutes into the quarter to push the Tiger lead over double-digits.

 Midway through the second quarter, the Chargers (7-18, 4-13 GPAC) cut the DWU lead back to single digits with a shot. After a Mieras shot moments later, BCU knocked down another shot to pull within six points.

 With two minutes to go in the half, Cheeseman knocked down a 3-pointer, followed by a Kamryn Heinz (Ipswich, S.D.) shot. With the clock winding down in the half, Kirk threw up a last second shot and found the bottom of the basket as she put the Tigers up by 10 at halftime.

 Both teams traded baskets to begin the second half until Carr knocked down a jumper and Rynn Osthus (De Smet, S.D.) knocked down a 3-pointer to push the lead to 15 points, forcing a Charger timeout.

 The Tigers continued to keep their distance from BCU throughout the remainder of the third quarter as Osthus made a pair of free throws to give DWU a 70-61 lead heading to the final stanza.

 The Chargers were first to strike in the fourth quarter with a free throw and a made basket to cut the DWU lead to six points. However, Mieras answered with a shot of her own to push the lead back to eight points with 7:38 to play.

 With three minutes left, DWU maintained a 10-point advantage. However, the Chargers strung together a 9-0 run to pull within a point with 1:22 to play. A Makaela Karst (Plankinton, S.D.) layup with 30 seconds to play helped the Tigers close out the victory. 

 Mieras led the Tigers with 22 points and five rebounds, as Carr chipped in 20 points and five rebounds. Kirk added 11 points, six assists and four rebounds, while Osthus tallied 12 points off the bench.

 The Tigers outrebounded BCU 32-23 and forced 19 turnovers in the contest.

DWU takes on No. 7 Morningside College for a top-15 showdown at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Corn Palace on Alumni Day.