Courtesy of Midland Athletics
FREMONT, Neb. — Midland University was back in action Saturday afternoon at the Wikert Event Center as it continued Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) play against Waldorf University. Balanced shooting and a strong defensive performance helped Midland secure a 71-57 victory, its first of the season.
Waldorf opened the scoring with a layup before the first quarter settled into a defensive battle. Both teams were scoreless for the next two minutes. After the drought, a layup by Charlotte Mills stretched Waldorf’s early lead to four before a basket by Ciera Jorge put Midland on the board. The teams traded baskets over the next two minutes, but a layup by Armanii Brazile gave Midland its first lead at 8-7. Waldorf responded with two free throws to retake the lead. A layup by Maddie Bovaird, followed by a free throw to complete the three-point play, helped Midland regain momentum. However, the Warriors’ offense stalled late in the quarter as Waldorf went on a 12-2 run to take a 21-13 lead into the second.
Jenna Weber quickly got Midland going again with a layup, but Waldorf answered with one of its own. The teams continued trading baskets, with Waldorf maintaining its lead. A layup by Jorge cut the deficit to four and prompted a Waldorf timeout with under eight minutes remaining in the half. Out of the timeout, a layup and free throw by Weber cut the deficit to one. After a steal by Zoey Sims led to a foul and a free throw by Addy Offutt, Midland tied the game at 25-25. Momentum continued to swing after another steal, and a layup by Sims put Midland back in front. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Jorge and Sims stretched the lead to 33-25 with four minutes left, prompting another Waldorf timeout. The teams traded baskets before a brief scoring lull closed the half, with Midland leading 37-27.
A 3-pointer by Mia Sao-Martinez early in the third quarter cut into Midland’s lead. A layup by Aiyana Kroll helped Midland stay in control, but Waldorf continued to battle. Another 3-pointer by Sao-Martinez cut the lead to four and forced a Midland timeout. Out of the break, Midland regained offensive rhythm. A free throw and layup by Sims pushed the lead to 42-35 with five minutes left in the quarter. After a brief offensive lull by both teams, they traded layups before Midland closed the frame with baskets by Weber and free throws from Jorge. Waldorf finished the quarter on a 4-0 run, but Midland led 50-41 heading into the fourth.
Midland and Waldorf continued to trade baskets early in the fourth. A 3-pointer by Destiny Sao-Martinez cut the lead to five, but Jorge answered with a 3-pointer of her own. Waldorf kept pushing, but back-to-back layups by Bovaird helped Midland maintain control. The Warriors closed the game on an 8-2 run to seal the win.
“The team played competitively. This afternoon was a great team win,” head coach Chris Burks said. “We had multiple people step up, compete, and play together. We did excellent defensively, applying great ball pressure. We wanted to make the game tough for Cloey. Bovaird and Weber did a great job on her, making her shots tough. Offensively, we wanted to share the ball and find our moments to get to the rim. That’s what we did, and we had success making plays there. It was great to see Ciera and Armanii step up as well. They executed their roles perfectly. I’m really excited for the team and proud of how they competed today.”
Three players scored in double figures for Midland. Sims led the team with 18 points, while Jorge added 16 in her first start of the season, and Bovaird scored 15.
Midland shot 30-of-62 (48.4%) from the field, while Waldorf finished 20-of-50 (40.0%). The Warriors held a 35-28 advantage on the glass and outscored Waldorf 54-22 in the paint.
Midland (1-9, 1-5 GPAC) will welcome Concordia (9-1, 5-1 GPAC) to the Wikert Event Center on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
