Courtesy of Midland Athletics
FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University hosted Northwestern College inside the Wikert Event Center on Saturday afternoon for its final home game of the season. The Warriors and Red Raiders battled it out on the court in a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) tilt, and things were tight through the first half. Foul trouble midway through the third by Midland allowed Northwestern to pull ahead for the 92-67 victory.
The Red Raiders opened up the first quarter with a 12-2 run, applying early pressure to the Warriors. Jenna Weber broke the drought with a layup before Northwestern continued to build their lead. An 8-0 run pushed the lead to 20-4 with 3:12 left to go. A 9-2 run, sparked by Weber, pulled Midland closer but it still trailed 24-13 after the first quarter.
Ellie Bovaird ignited the start of the second with a three-pointer, establishing the tone for the Warriors. After the Red Raiders got a chance at the free throw line, the Warriors embarked on a 15-0 propelling them into the lead, 31-26. After a Northwestern timeout, the teams fiercely battled the rest of the half. After a Red Raiders’ three-pointer deadlocked the game at 32-32, Asia Bryant regained the lead for the Warriors with a layup. Northwestern would regroup as it closed the half with an 8-2 run and took a three-point lead, 39-36, into halftime.
After the intermission, Northwestern opened with a dominant 14-0 run. Weber intervened with a crucial layup, but the Red Raiders countered with a 9-0 run. As the Warriors looked to get back on track, fouls started to mount for the home side. Northwestern finished the third with a 68-48 lead thanks in part to solid shooting from behind the arc with four three-pointers.
The fourth quarter unfolded as both teams engaged in a back-and-forth battle, trading baskets. Kennedy Darner initiated a 5-0 run with a well-executed three-pointer, and Lexie Glosser followed suit with a layup. The Red Raiders pushed ahead with an 11-3 run as they cruised to a 92-67 win.
Jenna Weber led the Warriors with 17 points, followed by Ellie Bovaird with 10. All six seniors found their way onto the scoreboard in their final home game. Kennedy Darner had 7 points while Lexie Glosser had 4. Frankie Klausen, Emma Shepard, and Asia Bryant all finished with 2 points while Avery Tilly had 1.
“In the third quarter, we struggled to respond as they asserted dominance in the paint and controlled the pace,” commented head coach Shawn Gilbert. “Unfortunately, we missed our initial five or six shots, allowing them to extend their lead from 4 points to 10 and then 12. The energy seemed off at the beginning of the third, and coupled with our missed shots, it became a challenging battle. Their proficiency on the boards and accurate outside shooting, especially with numerous threes in the second half, added to our difficulties.”
“They are one of the better transition teams in the conference,” added Coach Gilbert. “Despite the challenges, one positive aspect of the night was having five seniors on the floor at the same time, and I don’t know if I have ever had six to where I have to do fancy subbing to get them all out there. These seniors are a really good group. It is always hard to say goodbye, playing on your home floor, they are all really, really, good kids. I have probably appreciated more that they have all matured and grown into great women who are going to go out to the world and be very successful. We still have two games left, but it is always special the last time playing on your home floor.”
Midland (6-20, 3-17 GPAC), will travel up to Yankton, South Dakota to take on Mount Marty (5-21, 1-19 GPAC) next week. The midweek, Wednesday night game is slated for 6:00 p.m. on February 21.
