Courtesy of Midland Athletics
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Midland University traveled to Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday evening to face No. 21-ranked Northwestern College in a conference matchup. After a close contest throughout, the Raiders pulled away in the final quarter and outlasted the Warriors in a hard-fought battle, 74-63, in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) action.
“It was really exciting to see our team compete like that with Northwestern,” said head coach Chris Burks. “Tonight, we proved we can compete in this conference and at the highest level.”
Northwestern took an early lead with a three-pointer and a couple of offensive rebounds that turned into second-chance points, making it 9-6 midway through the first quarter. Defensive stops and five points from Sarah Shepard helped Midland tie the game at 15-15 heading into the second quarter.
Layups by Grace Holm and Jenna Weber gave the Warriors a 21-17 advantage. However, the Raiders responded with two layups, a three-pointer, and a jumper during a 9-0 run to retake the lead. Holm answered with a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 26-24 midway through the second quarter.
That shot sparked a Midland run. Layups and three free throws fueled a 10-1 stretch, putting the Warriors ahead 31-27. The Raiders added two free throws before halftime, with Midland holding a 31-29 edge at the break.
Despite dominating the boards, Northwestern struggled with shooting in the first half, going 12-for-41 (29.2%) from the field and 2-for-15 (13.3%) from beyond the arc. They pulled down 28 rebounds, including 15 offensive boards, compared to Midland’s 16 total rebounds and one offensive.
Coming out of the locker room, the Raiders found their offensive rhythm. They opened the second half with five unanswered points and extended their run to 14-5, taking a 43-36 lead with six minutes left in the third quarter. The Warriors responded with a 5-0 spurt to pull within two. The teams traded baskets before Zoey Sims hit a jumper to cut Northwestern’s lead to 56-52 entering the fourth quarter.
Northwestern opened the fourth on a 10-3 run, fueled by four field goals and two free throws, pushing their lead to 65-56 midway through the frame.
Midland made a late push, scoring five straight points to trim the lead to four. However, the Raiders finished strong with a 9-2 run to close out the 74-63 victory.
“I thought our team played well! We competed really hard but let some small details escape us on the floor,” Burks commented.
Sarah Shepard led the Warriors with 14 points. Erin Foxhall and Jenna Weber each added 10, with Foxhall also pulling down a team-high six rebounds. Weber contributed four rebounds and three assists.
“The team continues to take steps in the right direction. We’re ready to buckle down and prepare for Concordia,” Burks said.
Midland (1-5, 1-2 GPAC) will have a quick turnaround as they face fifth-ranked Concordia (4-2, 2-1 GPAC) on Tuesday, November 26, in Seward, Nebraska. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. inside Friedrich Arena.
