UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SWEEP NORTHERN STATE FOR FIRST TIME

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s basketball team celebrated senior night in fine fashion as they beat the Northern State Wolves 69-64 on Senior Day to complete a sweep of the weekend series played at Lysaker Gymnasium in Crookston. It was the first time in program history that the Golden Eagles beat Northern State twice in a season. 

FIRST QUARTER
UMC had a great start to the game when Abby Guidinger (Sr. Waukesha, Wis) made a three-pointer and after a Northern State basket, the Golden Eagles responded with a Mary Burke (Soph. Virginia) three-pointer.  Northern State made a free throw and UMC’s Emma Carpenter (Soph. Eagan) made a three-pointer to give the Golden Eagles a 9-3 lead four minutes into the game. UMC continued to hit the three-point shot when Alyssa Peterson (Soph. Menagha) became the fourth Golden Eagle to rattle home a three for a 14-7 lead with over a minute left in the quarter.  UMC took a 16-7 lead into the second quarter while making 50 percent (4-8) of their three-point shots.

SECOND QUARTER
Northern State started the second quarter by going on a 10-0 run to take a 17-16 lead in the first three minutes. UMC stopped the run when Haylee Wheeler (Fresh. Lakeville) buried the fifth UMC three-pointer of the game for a 19-17 lead.  Northern State battle back and built a five-point lead several times in the quarter, but UMC answered with another three-pointer, this time it was Ashley Freund (Sr. Jordan) to bring the Golden Eagles within a 33-32 deficit going into halftime.

THIRD QUARTER
The second half found the teams struggling on the offensive end and Northern State had a 42-39 lead with four minutes left in the third quarter before UMC’s Burke made another three-pointer to tie the game at 42.  Northern State outscored the Golden Eagles the rest of the quarter and took a 45-44 lead into the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER
Northern State took a 48-44 lead in the first two minutes of the quarter before UMC answered with a 12-0 run behind five points from Jes Mertens (Fresh. Devils Lake, ND), four points from Kylie Post (Jr. Corcoran), two points from Burke, and a free throw from Carpenter for a 56-48 lead halfway through the quarter.  The run proved to be the difference as the Golden Eagles led 64-57 with two minutes left, but Northern State went on a 5-0 run to get within a two-point deficit with 38 seconds remaining.  UMC’s Post made three of four free throws in a two-second span and after a Northern State basket, Mertens solidified the victory with two free throws with five seconds left and the Golden Eagles held on for the 69-64 victory.

Jes Mertens had three steals in the game and the freshman from Devils Lake, North Dakota is second in the nation in the steals category.

The Golden Eagles move to 2-4 on the overall and 2-2 in the NSIC North.  UMC will travel to Minot State next weekend.  Northern State drops to 1-3 on the season.

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