MITCHELL, S.D. – In a game that featured 10 lead changes and seven ties, the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team fell by a score of 75-69 to conference foe Northwestern College Wednesday evening from the Corn Palace in Mitchell.
Sophomore Matti Reiner (Tripp, S.D.) propelled the Tigers (3-2, 1-2 GPAC) to a 6-2 lead at the 7:12 mark in first quarter after sinking consecutive 3-pointers. DWU also set the tone on the defensive end early in the contest as Reiner and Jada Campbell (Alexandria, S.D.) tallied multiple blocks. Campbell, who finished the game with four blocks, surpassed 100-career blocks stretching back to her two previous seasons at Presentation College.
Despite the Raiders (3-6, 3-3GPAC) erasing the initial four-point margin, Dakota Wesleyan found itself holding a slim, 17-16 lead at the end of the first quarter. A driving layup by Grace Imbery (Aberdeen, S.D.) off the assist from Kaylee Kirk (Balaton, S.D.) secured the advantage going into the break.
The lead went back and forth early in the second quarter as both teams struggled to score. Trailing by a score of 26-20, one of Kirk's four steals at the 4:41 mark led to an Isabel Ihnen (Lennox, S.D.) jumper narrowing the Raider advantage, 26-22. A Haylee Mork (Aberdeen, S.D.) 3-pointer and late basket by Kirk off the assist from Haidyn Pitsch (Prior Lake, Minn.) closed out the second quarter as the Tigers trailed 35-31 at halftime.
Northwestern College extended its lead in the third quarter 41-33, before a Pitsch layup off the assist from Kirk cut into the deficit. The Tigers continued to trim the NWC lead as a 3-pointer by Reiner thanks to another assist from Kirk brought the score to 46-43 at the 4:44 mark. Despite multiple triples late in the quarter by Dakota Wesleyan, the Raiders clung to a 53-49 margin heading into the final period.
One-of-three 3-pointers by Ihnen with 7:34 remaining put DWU back ahead 57-55. Both teams exchanged the lead once more thanks to a triple from Reiner, however, NWC held on down the stretch for the 75-69 win.
Reiner paced the Blue and Gray with 18 points and seven rebounds as the Tigers shot 43.3% from the field. Pitsch and Imbery combined for 22 points while Kirk chipped in 10 points, nine assists and six rebounds. DWU dished out 17 assists while outrebounding the Raiders 31-28.
Dakota Wesleyan returns to action with a matchup versus University of Jamestown at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Jamestown, N.D.
