MITCHELL, S.D. – Three players reached double figures, including a team-high 16 points from Jada Campbell, however, the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team suffered a 67-65 loss versus conference opponent (RV) Dordt University in Great Plains Athletic Conference action on Wednesday night from the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D. Dakota Wesleyan outscored Dordt, 26-9, in the third quarter, though it was Dordt who came away with narrow road victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
DOR raced out to a 7-0 start to begin the game and extended its lead to 10-2 before a pair of free throws from Dakota Wesleyan freshman Lacey Sprakel and an ensuing layup by Rynn Osthus. Sprakel led DWU with nine points at halftime while the Defenders (17-6, 10-5 GPAC) held a 13-6 advantage midway through the quarter.
Matti Reiner and Kaylee Kirk followed with a pair of baskets near the rim with under three minutes remaining in the first stanza; yet Dordt responded with a 3-pointer. As a unit, DOR shot 9-of-19 from beyond the arc while Defender forward Ashtyn Veerbeek knocked down 4-of-7 attempts from 3-point range leading to a game-high 26 points. A late steal by Campbell and ensuing basket by Kirk trimmed the deficit to six points, however, Dordt claimed a 23-14 lead heading into the second frame.
Dordt's lead steadied around six points to start the second stanza before a driving layup by Osthus off a dish from Kirk. Osthus recorded double figures with 12 points on 6-of 12 shooting while Kirk tallied seven assists. Midway through the period, the DOR edge reached double-digits, 31-20, as the Defenders claimed the second frame 19-15 and led by more than 10 points down the stretch of the quarter. Another DWU steal by Osthus provided a Tiger (17-6, 9-6 GPAC) basket from Sprakel, who tallied nine points and three rebounds in the contest.
The visiting Defenders held a 42-29 lead at the intermission after ending the final four minutes of the half on a 9-4 run.
While the momentum favored DOR in the first half, Dakota Wesleyan took advantage of a 9-0 spurt to start the third quarter as the Tigers trimmed the lead to 42-38 with 6:40 remaining. Aspen Hansen drilled a 3-pointer off a pass from Reiner while Kirk managed a basket near the rim. Kirk, who shot 6-of-11 from the floor, registered 12 points and six rebounds while DWU looked to continue its offensive groove.
Defensively, Dakota Wesleyan held the Defenders in check in the frame limiting DOR to nine points while the Tigers posted their highest output of the game. Campbell converted an old-fashioned 3-point basket, and Isabel Ihnen drained an attempt from beyond the arc. DWU finished the night 40.6% from the field and led, 55-51, at the end of the third stanza.
The Tigers extended their lead to five points with 7:07 remaining in the fourth period, however, the Defenders engineered a 12-5 run to close the game and held on for the 67-65 road victory. Campbell, the 6-foot-4 senior center brought DWU to within one, 66-65, with under a minute to play while Dordt secured the narrow win.
Dakota Wesleyan notched 29 rebounds and dialed 21 assists including a game-high nine assists from Reiner, who also chipped in four rebounds and three steals. On the defensive end of the court, the Tigers managed 10 steals and forced the Defenders into 14 turnovers.
UP NEXT
Dakota Wesleyan hits the court next in another pivotal conference matchup versus (RV) Briar Cliff University at 2 p.m. on Saturday from the Newman Flanagan Center in Sioux City, Iowa.