2006-07 - Women's Basketball schedule/results
19-13 Overall, 10-8 GPAC | Season Statistics
Date | Opponent | Location | Time/Results |
Nov. 2 | York | York, Neb. | W 56-51 |
Nov. 7 | Peru State | Peru, Neb. | W 70-46 |
Mid-America Nazarene Classic: |
|
| |
Nov. 10 | vs. Southwestern College | Olathe, Kan. | L 70-57 |
Nov. 11 | vs. Bethany College | Olathe, Kan. | W 63-45 |
Nov. 18 | Doane College* | Crete, Neb. | L 70-66 |
Nov. 21 | Nebraska Wesleyan Univ.* | Seward, Neb. | W 78-44 |
Cattle Classic: |
|
| |
Nov. 24 | vs. Haskell | Seward, Neb. | W 84-55 |
Nov. 25 | vs. York | Seward, Neb. | W 60-44 |
Nov. 28 | Peru State | Seward, Neb. | W 78-60 |
Dec. 2 | Northwestern College* | Orange City, Iowa | L 82-72 (OT) |
Dec. 5 | Doane College* | Seward, Neb. | L 81-75 (OT) |
Dec. 9 | Morningside College* | Sioux City, Iowa | L 83-74 |
Holiday Lodge/Midland College Classic: |
|
| |
Dec. 15 | vs. Bethel - Kan. | Fremont, Neb. | L 100-78 |
Dec. 16 | vs. South Dakota Tech | Fremont, Neb. | W 88-56 |
Dec. 30 | Tabor College | Hillsboro, Kan. | L 63-50 |
Jan. 3 | Hastings College* | Seward, Neb. | L 73-67 |
Jan. 6 | Briar Cliff University* | Sioux City, Iowa | W 66-59 |
Jan. 9 | Dana College* | Seward, Neb. | L 73-65 |
Jan. 13 | Dordt College* | Seward, Neb. | W 62-49 |
Jan. 17 | Nebraska Wesleyan Univ.* | Lincoln, Neb. | W 67-55 |
Jan. 19 | Dakota Wesleyan University* | Mitchell, S.D. | W 87-81 (OT) |
Jan. 23 | Midland Lutheran College* | Fremont, Neb. | W 67-65 (OT) |
Concordia Invitational Tournament: |
|
| |
Jan. 26 | Concordia-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, Mich. | W 73-62 |
Jan. 27 | Concordia-Wisconsin | Ann Arbor, Mich. | L 74-68 |
Jan. 31 | Briar Cliff University* | Seward, Neb. | W 56-47 |
Feb. 3 | Mount Marty College* | Seward, Neb. | L 58-43 |
Feb. 6 | DanaCollege* | Blair, Neb. | W 64-62 |
Feb. 10 | Hastings College* | Hastings, Neb. | L 62-61 |
Feb. 14 | Midland Lutheran College* | Seward, Neb. | W 63-59 |
Feb. 17 | University of Sioux Falls* | Seward, Neb. | W 80-69 |
GPAC Tournament: |
|
| |
Feb. 20 | vs. Dakota Wesleyan | Seward, Neb. | W 77-67 |
Feb. 22 | at Hastings | Hastings, Neb. | L 77-65 |
*Indicates Great Plains Athletic Conference Games
Italics Indicate Tournament Games
All Home Games in BOLD
2006-07 - Women's Basketball roster
No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Yr. | Hometown | Previous School |
10 | Whitney Stichka | G | 5-9 | SO | Ruskin, Neb. | Deshler High |
12 | Marie Wintz | G | 5-8 | SR | Hartington, Neb. | Cedar Catholic |
14 | Brooke Pralle | G | 5-7 | SO | Wymore, Neb. | Wymore Southern |
20 | Jordan Schmoldt | G | 5-6 | JR | Clay Center, Neb. | Clay Center |
22 | Danae Koopman | F | 5-9 | SO | Scribner, Neb. | Scribner-Snyder |
24 | Emly Hartmann | G | 5-6 | JR | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
30 | Elizabeth Spencer | F | 5-9 | JR | Meade, Kan. | Meade |
32 | Melissa Tinkham | G | 5-9 | SO | Kearney, Neb. | Kearney High |
34 | TaLisa Krejci | G | 5-8 | FR | Exeter, Neb. | Exeter-Milligan |
40 | Stacy Scheer | G | 5-8 | FR | Madison, Neb. | Madison |
42 | Amber Quinn | F | 5-8 | FR | Bellevue, Neb. | Bellevue East |
44 | Jenni Lovegrove | F | 5-11 | JR | Fairmont, Neb. | Fillmore Central |
52 | Libby Hirssig | C | 5-11 | JR | Rochester, Minn. | Faith Christian High |
| Jess Topil | G | 5-7 | FR | Seward, Neb. | Seward |
| Trisha Garcia | G | 5-6 | FR | San Antonio, Texas | Lutheran High |
| Amy Sandefur | F | 5-7 | FR | Peyton, Colo. | Peyton |
| Kourtney Jo Rahder | F | 5-7 | FR | Atkinson, Neb. | West Holt |
2006-2007 Coaching staff
Head coach: Drew Olson
Assistant coach: Amy Harms
Bulldogs win season opener and Coach Olson's debut
2 NOV 2006
The Concordia women’s basketball team overcame some cold shooting in the first half to get a come from behind win over York College, 56-51, in the season opener for both squads in York, Neb. It was the first career win for Drew Olson as the head coach of Concordia.
Whitney Stichka and Marie Wintz each scored in double figures for Bulldogs, who trailed at halftime, 26-20. Stichka finished with 13 points, 10 in the second half, while Wintz added a dozen.
In the first half Concordia struggled from the field, shooting just 19 percent. They were able to say close via the charity stripe where they hit converted on 9-of-12 attempts. Junior Jenni Lovegrove was 4-of-5 from the free throw line in the first half. Lovegrove finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds.
Concordia heated up in the second half going 12-26 from the field (46.2 percent), including knocking down three 3pt-field goals. After a timeout sophomore Danae Koopman hit her only bucket of the game, a three, to break a 41-41 tie. The Bulldogs did not trail from that point on.
Junior Libby Hirssig added seven points and eight rebounds as the Bulldogs won the battle on the boards, out-rebounding York 42-38. All nine players who entered the game for the Bulldogs scored.
York, who was receiving votes in the preseason NAIA poll, was led by Rachel Brick (13 points), Kaylena Anderson (12 points) and Ashley Wellman (11 points).
Concordia travels to Olathe, Kan., to compete in the MidAmerica Nazarene Classic this Friday and Saturday where they will take on Southwestern College and Bethany College. Both games are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. start times.
Bench scores 39 in win over Peru State
7 NOV 2006
Concordia University, Nebraska had three players in double figures as the Bulldogs claimed a 70-46 win over Peru State College at the Wheeler Center in Peru, Neb.
Peru (1-2) opened the season with an 83-70 loss to Hastings College, the top ranked team in NAIA Division II, a week earlier before picking up a win over Ashford on Saturday.
Concordia (2-0) jumped out to a 14-2 lead early in the first half and the game was never in jeopardy the rest of the way. The Bobcats pulled to within 11 midway through the second half, but that was as close as they would come.
Ten different Bulldogs scored and Concordia shot 51 percent from the field for the game (26 of 51), including six buckets from beyond the arc. A team effort, the Bulldog bench erupted for 39 points, getting a game high 21 points from freshman TaLisa Krejci.
Krejci (right )was 3 of 5 from downtown and shot 70 percent from the field. She also was perfect from the charity stripe (4 of 4), grabbed five rebounds dished out three assists and had two steals.
“TaLisa had a great game for us tonight,” said Head Coach Drew Olson. “She hit some big threes in the first half when they (Peru) went to a zone defense.”
Sophomore Melissa Tinkham also had some key long-range field goals in the second half, draining a pair of threes to put the game out of reach. She finished the game with 10 points and three rebounds.
For the second straight game senior Marie Wintz reached double figures, finishing with 11 points.
Jenni Lovegrove added nine points and six rebounds for Concordia while Libby Hirssig grabbed a game high seven boards.
For Peru State, Laurie Carlson was the only player in double figures with 12 points.
Concordia travels to Olathe, Kan., to compete in the MidAmerican Nazarene Classic this Friday and Saturday. The Bulldogs take on Southwestern College on Friday and Bethany on Saturday. Both games are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. tip-offs.
Upset bid falls short against #11 Doane
18 NOV 2006
Three different Bulldogs scored in double figures but it wasn’t enough as the Doane College Tigers edged the Concordia University, Nebraska women, 70-66, Saturday afternoon at the Fuhrer Field House in Crete, Neb.
The conference opener for both squads, Concordia (3-2, 0-1 GPAC) dominated the first five minutes. The Bulldogs had scored 11 unanswered to open the game before Doane (5-1 1-0 GPAC), who came into the game ranked 11th in NAIA Division II, scored a field goal.
Concordia was able hang onto the lead until the 8:10 mark in the first half as Doane took the lead on a layup by Vanessa Munter.
From that point Doane made its move, going on a 21-7 run over a seven minute span en route to a 39-28 lead at halftime.
The Tigers stretched their lead to as many as 19 in the second half before the Bulldogs mounted their comeback bid, going on a 24-5 run over an eight minute span, tying the game at 58 with 4:51 remaining.
During the run the Bulldogs held the Tigers to just one field goal, a layup by Lindsay Anderson on a fast break.
Sophomore Melissa Tinkham started the rally hitting from down town. It was the first of four three point field goal during the run, the others coming from Danae Koopman.
Koopman finished the game with 11 points on 4 of 6 shooting, 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.
The teams traded the lead twice before Doane was able to take a five point cushion on a triple by Alissa Holland with 2:02 left.
Concordia pulled within two, 66-64, at the 1:45 mark but Doane hit four of six free throws down the stretch to hold on for the victory.
The Tigers were led in scoring by Holland who finished with 18 points and eight rebounds. Anderson added 16 points as a total of 10 different Doane players scored.
For the Bulldogs, Kearney sophomore Tinkham led the team in scoring with a dozen. Whitney Stichka and Koopman each added 11 for the Bulldogs.
Senior Marie Wintz pitched in with nine points. All nine players who saw action scored for the Bulldogs.
Concordia has their season opener against Nebraska Wesleyan on Tuesday night in a 6:00 p.m. contest. The Bulldogs are also in action over the weekend as they host the seventh annual Cattle Classic on Friday and Saturday.
12 score for Bulldogs in win over Prairie Wolves
21 NOV 2006
Twelve different players scored for the Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team as they defeated Nebraska Wesleyan University, 78-44, in GPAC play on Tuesday night in Seward.
This was the first home game of the season for the Bulldogs (4-2, 1-1 GPAC). It was the first conference action of the young season for the visiting Prairie Wolves (1-2, 0-1 GPAC).
Concordia never trailed in the game, opening up a 10 point lead six minutes into the game on a layup by freshman TaLisa Krejci. From that point the Bulldogs out-scored NWU 20-6 over a ten minute stretch, opening up a 23-point advantage.
In the first half the Bulldogs limited the Prairie Wolves to just six field goals, and 20.7 percent shooting from the field. On the flip side Concordia hit at a 48.0 percent clip and knocked down three long range field goals.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Bulldogs lead ballooned to as many as 35 at one point. The hot hand from the field continued in the second frame Concordia shot 51.6 percent from the field. For the game Concordia was an even 50 percent from the floor.
Everyone got into the action for the Bulldogs as the bench accounted for 46 points. Only two players, Whitney Stichka and Krejci finished in double figures, each scoring 15. Danae Koopman chipped in with nine points while Amber Quinn and Melissa Tinkham added eight a piece.
Libby Hirssig pulled down a team high nine boards as the Bulldogs won the rebounding battle 48-30.
For NWU Devan Aschtgen led all scores with 17 points. She also grabbed eight rebounds.
Concordia hosts the Seventh Annual Cattle Classic in conjunction with Cattle National Bank and Trust Company this Friday and Saturday. Team participating include Midland Lutheran, Haskel Indian Nations and York College.
Action on Friday starts at 5:00 p.m. with Midland taking on York. Following that game the Bulldogs play Haskell. Saturday Haskell and Midland start things off at 1:00 p.m. Concordia takes on York in a rematch of the season opener at 3:00 p.m.
Price of admission to the games for adults is six canned food items or a $6 donation, three canned food items or $2 donation for children. All money and food raised benefits the Blue Valley Community Action's Food Pantry.
Tinkham named MVP, Bulldogs 2-0 at Cattle Classic
24-25 NOV 2006
Sophomore Melissa Tinkham came off the bench to lead the Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team in scoring for the second consecutive game as the Bulldogs defeated York College, 60-44, on the final day of the Seventh Annual Cattle Classic.
It was the second win for Concordia (6-2, 1-1 GPAC) over York (4-5, 0-0 MCAC) this season. The Bulldogs downed the Panthers 56-51in the season opener for both squads on Nov. 2.
The lead changed seven times and was tied five times in the rematch on Saturday. York’s largest lead was four, coming after a jumper by Ashley Wellman with 15:14 to go in the first half.
Trailing by one, the Bulldogs closed out the final 2:34 of the first half with an 8-2 run to take a five point cushion, 27-22, into the locker room at halftime. The spurt was started by junior Jordan Schmoldt’s jumper. Also during the run fellow junior Libby Hirssig came up with a steal and went coast-to-coast to for the bucket.
Concordia’s defense limited York to a single free throw in the first five minutes, 12 seconds of the first half. In fact, the Bulldog defense allowed just two field goals in the first 8:55 of the second half en route to a 15-point lead.
The Bulldog lead ballooned to as many as 19 points after a steal and layup by Tinkham with 5:42 to go. Tinkham finished the game with three steals, while the Bulldogs turned 29 Panther turnovers into 26 points, 16 coming via the fastbreak.
Senior Ashley Wellman, a 6-1 post, picked up a double double, finishing with 12 points and 13 rebounds. She also added six blocks. Rachel Brick led all scorers with 18 points.
For Concordia, Tinkham continued her hot hand, shooting 50 percent from the field, including two long-range field goals as she was named the Cattle Classic MVP. She also dished out a pair of assists.
Other Bulldogs in double figures included sophomores Whitney Stichka and Danae Koopman, each with 10 points. Koopman also grabbed six rebounds.
Concordia’s next contest is also a rematch from an earlier game this season as the Bulldogs host Peru State College in a 7:30 p.m. game on Tuesday, Nov. 28. In the first match-up Concordia was victorious 70-46.
Bulldogs sink 31 free throws, down Peru for second time
28 NOV 2006
Five players scored in double figures as the Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team overcame a sluggish start to defeat Peru State College for the second time this season, 78-60.
Concordia (7-2, 1-1 GPAC) extends its current winning streak to four while the Bobcats (1-9) dropped their seventh game to a GPAC opponent this year.
Both squads struggled to put points on the board in the first half as the Bulldogs shot just 26.1 percent from the field in the opening frame. In fact, Concordia had just six field goals in the first half. Most of the Bulldogs point came via the charity stripe as they converted 17 of 24 in the first half.
Peru led by six points midway through the first half. The Bulldogs tied the game two and a half minutes later, thanks to six free throws, four by Marie Wintz, two by Jenni Lovegrove. Sophomore Melissa Tinkham gave Concordia the lead for good with two more free throws with 7:40 remaining in the first half.
Sophomore Danae Koopman started the second half with a bang, knocking down a trey on the Bulldogs first possession to push the lead to 32-22. The Bulldogs made up for the poor shooting in the first half, shooting an impressive 60 percent from the field during the second half. For the game the Bulldogs shot 48.3 percent from the floor.
Despite the hot shooting in the second half for Concordia the story of the game was Bulldogs success at the charity stripe. In all, the Bulldogs sank 31 of 45 free throw attempts on the night, nearly doubling Peru’s total (6 of 16).
Wintz led the Bulldogs from the line, going a perfect 7 of 7. Whitney Stichka and Lovegrove each added six points from the stripe. All 10 Bulldogs that scored made a free throw.
In all five different players scored in double digits for Concordia. Lovegrove had 14 while Stichka, Wintz and Tinkham all had 11. TaLisa Krejci added 10. Lovegrove was just off a double double, pulling down nine rebounds.
For Peru only one player reached double figures, Leisha Tennal with 19 points.
Concordia starts a difficult stretch of their schedule on Saturday as they travel to Orange City, Iowa, to take on Northwestern College, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA preseason poll. Six of the Bulldogs next seven opponents are ranked in the top 18, including Doane (11), Morningside (7), Bethel (18), Tabor (15) and Hastings (1).
Red Raiders escape with win over Bulldogs
2 DEC 2006
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team gave the third ranked Northwestern College Red Raiders all they could handle before falling in overtime, 82-72, Saturday afternoon in Orange City, Iowa.
Northwestern (10-2, 4-0 GPAC) outscored the Bulldogs (7-3, 1-2 GPAC) in the overtime frame, 13-3, to get the win.
Concordia opened up a nine point advantage midway through the first half on a long-range field goal by junior Jordan Schmoldt. The Red Raiders tied the game at 26 after a pair of free throws by Deb Remmerde, last years NAIA Division II Player of the Year, with 3:26 left in the first half. The teams went into the lockerroom tied at 30 at intermission.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with a 15-4 run to take a 45-34 lead with 14:31 remaining. Sophomore Melissa Tinkham capped the run with a three-pointer, her third of the game.
Concordia controlled the lead for the next nine minutes, before Remmerde hit her fourth triple of the game to knot the score at 60. The Red Raiders opened up a three point lead with 2:45 remaining. But the Bulldogs tied the game up with 71 seconds remaining on a pair of free throws by freshman TaLisa Krejci.
A free throw by Northwestern gave them a one-point advantage with 29 ticks left.
Junior Jenni Lovegrove took a pass from Whitney Stichka and made a layup to give the Bulldogs the lead with 19 seconds left in regulation.
On the next possession Concordia’s Danae Koopman was called for a foul against Remmerde. Remmerde, 95 percent from the charity stripe on her career, missed the first of the double bonus, but hit the second to tie the game at 69.
Lovegrove had a look as time expired but it wouldn’t fall, forcing overtime.
Concordia’s Marie Wintz scored the first point of overtime on a free throw, but then the Red Raiders went on a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach.
Jamie Hoegh of Northwestern led all scorers with 29 points, 12 coming via the free-throw line. Remmerde had ten field goals en route to 27 points. She also added seven boards in 44 minutes of action.
For Concordia it was Stichka who led the way in the scoring department with 19 points, 17 coming in the second half and overtime. Lovegrove, who pulled down seven rebounds, was also in double figures with 11. Koopman also pulled down seven boards and had eight points.
As a team, the Bulldogs out rebounded the Red Raiders 44-38
Tinkham continued her hot streak from beyond the arc, hitting three more long-range field goals to finish with nine points along with four assits. On the season she has a team high 21 threes.
The next action for the Bulldogs is on Tuesday as they take on No.11 Doane College at home in a 7:30 p.m. game. This is the second meeting of the season for the Tigers and Bulldogs, the first going to Doane, 70-66.
Ranked opponents causing problems for Bulldogs
5 DEC 2006
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team dropped a pair of games this past week to a pair of ranked opponents. On Tuesday night the Bulldogs fell in overtime to No. 11 Doane College, 81-75, and on Saturday afternoon in Sioux City Concordia was on the wrong end of a 83-74 score against No. 9 Morningside College.
This marks the third consecutive loss for the Bulldogs (7-5, 1-4 GPAC) against a ranked opponent dating back to a 82-72 loss to No. 3 Northwestern on Dec. 2.
Against Doane the Bulldogs trailed the entire first half and the majority of the second half before mounting a late comeback. Concordia went on a 10-1 run midway through the second half to turn take a 53-49 lead with 8:55 remaining in regulation.
The Tigers countered with a 10-4 run of their own late in the game to go ahead by one, 61-20, with 1:58 left.
After a timeout by Concordia with 90 seconds left in regulation sophomore Melissa Tinkham put the Bulldogs on top by two with a three-point field goal. Doane tied the game on the next possession but after another timeout the Bulldogs answered again. Junior Elizabeth Spencer found freshman TaLisa Krejci on a backdoor layup to give the Bulldogs a 65-63 advantage.
Doane was able to force overtime as Ashley Sullwold hit a 18-foot jumper from the top of the key as time expired.
In the overtime frame the Bulldogs jumped out to a four-point lead thanks to another long-range field goal by Tinkham and a free throw by Libby Hirssig. From that point on Tigers went on a 13-2 run to put the game out of reach. Concordia struggled from the charity stripe in the extra frame, going just 3 of 7 from the line.
Tinkham, Krejci and Hirssig all came of the bench to lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 14 points each.
Doane was led in scoring by Lindsay Anderson who finished with 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting.
On Saturday the Bulldogs faced perennial GPAC and NAIA power Morningside College, who came into the game ranked ninth in the latest NAIA Division II Poll.
Early on in the first half Concordia was able to open up a seven-point advantage, 18-11, behind four straight points from Tinkham and a layup by Krejci. But the Bulldog offense struggled during the next seven minutes, scoring just one field goal as the Mustangs took the lead 24-20.
Another Tinkham three, followed by a Hirssig layup gave the Bulldogs what proved to be their last lead of the game, 25-24, with 7:07 left in the first half.
Morningside opened up leads as big as 13 during the second half but the Bulldogs were able to pull within six in the final minute and a half. Morningside hit three free throws and a layup in the final 58 seconds to put the game out of reach.
For the second straight game it was Tinkham who led the Bulldogs in scoring with 18 points, including four three-point field goals. Tinkham now has 27 threes on the season, sixth most in the GPAC. Krejci and Danae Koopman were also in double figures with 14 and 11 points respectively.
Next action for the Bulldogs comes on Friday and Saturday at the Midland Classic in Fremont, Neb. Concordia will face South Dakota Tech on Friday and Bethel on Saturday.
Ranked opponents causing problems for Bulldogs
9 DEC 2006
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team dropped a pair of games this past week to a pair of ranked opponents. On Tuesday night the Bulldogs fell in overtime to No. 11 Doane College, 81-75, and on Saturday afternoon in Sioux City Concordia was on the wrong end of a 83-74 score against No. 9 Morningside College.
This marks the third consecutive loss for the Bulldogs (7-5, 1-4 GPAC) against a ranked opponent dating back to a 82-72 loss to No. 3 Northwestern on Dec. 2.
Against Doane the Bulldogs trailed the entire first half and the majority of the second half before mounting a late comeback. Concordia went on a 10-1 run midway through the second half to turn take a 53-49 lead with 8:55 remaining in regulation.
The Tigers countered with a 10-4 run of their own late in the game to go ahead by one, 61-20, with 1:58 left.
After a timeout by Concordia with 90 seconds left in regulation sophomore Melissa Tinkham put the Bulldogs on top by two with a three-point field goal. Doane tied the game on the next possession but after another timeout the Bulldogs answered again. Junior Elizabeth Spencer found freshman TaLisa Krejci on a backdoor layup to give the Bulldogs a 65-63 advantage.
Doane was able to force overtime as Ashley Sullwold hit a 18-foot jumper from the top of the key as time expired.
In the overtime frame the Bulldogs jumped out to a four-point lead thanks to another long-range field goal by Tinkham and a free throw by Libby Hirssig. From that point on Tigers went on a 13-2 run to put the game out of reach. Concordia struggled from the charity stripe in the extra frame, going just 3 of 7 from the line.
Tinkham, Krejci and Hirssig all came of the bench to lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 14 points each.
Doane was led in scoring by Lindsay Anderson who finished with 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting.
On Saturday the Bulldogs faced perennial GPAC and NAIA power Morningside College, who came into the game ranked ninth in the latest NAIA Division II Poll.
Early on in the first half Concordia was able to open up a seven-point advantage, 18-11, behind four straight points from Tinkham and a layup by Krejci. But the Bulldog offense struggled during the next seven minutes, scoring just one field goal as the Mustangs took the lead 24-20.
Another Tinkham three, followed by a Hirssig layup gave the Bulldogs what proved to be their last lead of the game, 25-24, with 7:07 left in the first half.
Morningside opened up leads as big as 13 during the second half but the Bulldogs were able to pull within six in the final minute and a half. Morningside hit three free throws and a layup in the final 58 seconds to put the game out of reach.
For the second straight game it was Tinkham who led the Bulldogs in scoring with 18 points, including four three-point field goals. Tinkham now has 27 threes on the season, sixth most in the GPAC. Krejci and Danae Koopman were also in double figures with 14 and 11 points respectively.
Next action for the Bulldogs comes on Friday and Saturday at the Midland Classic in Fremont, Neb. Concordia will face South Dakota Tech on Friday and Bethel on Saturday.
Bulldogs earn split at Holiday Lodge/Midland Classic
15-16 DEC 2006
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team split a pair of games this past weekend at the Holiday Lodge/Midland Lutheran Women’s Basketball Classic held in Fremont, Neb.
On Friday all five starters for the South Dakota Tech Lady Hardrockers were in double figures as they defeated the Bulldogs, 100-78. Concordia (8-6, 1-4 GPAC) bounced back on Saturday to down the Bethel (Kan.) Threshers, 88-46.
Sophomore Whitney Stichka had 22 points in each game for the Bulldogs and was was named to the All-Classic team.
Against South Dakota Tech turnovers plagued the Bulldogs as the Lady Hardrockers converted 23 Concordia miscues into 21 points, notching 13 steals. That, coupled with hot shooting for Tech (57.8 percent) led to the Bulldogs demise.
Melanie Vedvei dumped in 23 points, had seven steals, dished out six assists and grabbed five rebounds to lead the scoring charge for South Dakota Tech. Tech recently downed third ranked Northwestern by 16 points. Others in double figures for the Lady Hardrockers included Amber Deweerd (19), Madi Hotovec (18), Bethany Holyoak (17) and Jenni Malone (12).
Offensively for Concordia Stichka led the way with 22 points, going a perfect 11 for 11 from the charity stripe. Sophomore Melissa Tinkham continued to be accurate from long range, hitting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, en route to 14 points.
On Saturday the Bulldogs took the court with a new look to their starting lineup as Tinkham and freshman TaLisa Krejci got the nod, in the 88-56 Concordia win over Bethel.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 10-2 lead on a three by Tinkham and never trailed in the contest. The Bulldogs shot 56.6 percent from the field including an impressive 64.3 percent from beyond the arc, draining nine three point field goals compared to just one for Bethel.
Perhaps the most impressive stat of the game was the fact that Stichka was perfect in the shooting department. She finished 7 of 7 from the field, including 2 of 2 from long range, and 6 of six from the free throw line as she tallied 22 points for the second straight night.
Tinkham continued her onslaught from downtown, hitting 4 of 5 three point attempts, finishing with 14 points. Also in double figures for Concordia was Jenni Lovegrove who added 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Concordia has a break for the holidays before returning to action on Dec. 30 to take on Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan. Tabor was ranked No. 10 in the latest NAIA Division II poll.
Comeback bid falls short against #14 Hastings
3 JAN 2007
Four different players scored in double figures for the Hastings College Broncos women’s basketball team as they defeated the Concordia Bulldogs, 73-67, Wednesday night in Seward.
Hastings (13-4, 4-2 GPAC) came into the game ranked No. 14 in the latest NAIA Division II Poll that was release on Wednesday. Concordia (8-8, 1-5 GPAC) dropped their sixth game against a ranked opponent.
The Bulldogs stayed close until midway through the first half. Concordia tied the game on a layup by Whitney Stichka with 11:29 left in the first half. Hastings then went on a 14-2 run, capped off by back to back buckets by Stacy Svoboda. Svoboda led all scorers with 19 points.
A free throw by Libby Hirssig cut the Broncos lead to single digits, 38-29, with just six seconds left in the half. But Hasting point guard, Hruka Yamashito, banked in a half court shot as time expired in the half to push the lead back to a dozen.
Hastings picked up in the second half where they left off in the first, with Kay Broekemeier draining a 3-pointer on the first possession. That was as big as the Broncos lead would get, as the Bulldogs started to chip away.
Concordia took advantage of the opportunities at the charity stripe in the second half as they were in the bonus for the majority of the second half. Four straight free throws, two by Jenni Lovegrove and a pair by Melissa Tinkham, cut the Broncos lead to six with 11:38 remaining.
A Stichka three pulled the Bulldogs to within five, 58-53, within just over eight minutes left. Hastings countered with two more buckets by Svoboda to push their advantage back to nine at the 6:20 mark.
Freshman TaLisa Krejci buried a long range field goal off a Danae Koopman pass to pull Concordia within three, 68-65. After the teams traded baskets Hastings made three free throws in the final 35 seconds to seal the win.
Stichka led the Concordia offense with 15 points, nine coming from beyond the arc. Elizabeth Spencer chipped in with 12 points and six boards to go along with 10 points from Jenni Lovegrove. Lovegrove also grabbed seven boards.
Concordia won the battle on the glass, out-rebounding the Broncos 41-33. Hirssig pulled down a team high eight caroms to lead the Bulldogs.
Svoboda paced Hastings with 19 points and five rebounds. Others in double figures for the Broncos included Heather McKeon (16), Lindsay Ducey (12) and Maggie Schmaderer (11).
The Bulldogs travel to Sioux City, Iowa to take on Briar Cliff on Saturday in a 2:00 p.m. contest. The next home action for Concordia is on Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. against Dana College.
Big run propels Bulldogs to win over Chargers
6 JAN 2007
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team picked up a 66-59 win over the Briar Cliff Chargers on Saturday afternoon in Sioux City, Iowa.
Concordia (9-8, 2-5 GPAC) used a big run to open the second half to pull away from the Chargers (6-12, 3-5 GPAC). Briar Cliff managed to make the game interesting down the stretch thanks in part to the play of post player Mel Shidell.
Leading by seven at half, the Bulldogs outscored the Chargers 18-2 over the first 6:24 of the second half to jump to a 47-24 lead. Sophomore Melissa Tinkham started the run with a 3-pointer and ended it with a 12-foot jumper. Six of the Bulldogs points during the run came via the charity stripe.
Unfortunately for Concordia the free throw line didn’t treat them as well down the stretch as they were missed 10 free throws in the second frame, finishing the game just 19-32 (59.4 percent). Some untimely misses allowed the Chargers to pull within six near the end before Jordan Schmoldt put the game out of reach with a pair of free throws.
Tinkham led the Bulldogs in scoring with 15 points, nine coming from beyond the arc. She has had multiple threes in 11 of the Bulldogs’ 17 games this season.
Danae Koopman was the only other Bulldog in double figures finishing with 12 poitns on 4-of-6 shooting. Libby Hirssig was just a bucket away from a double double, as she grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and had eight points.
For Briar Cliff Shidell led the way with 20 points and eight rebounds. Former Bulldog Jamee Phipps, playing in just her fourth game as a Charger, added nine points.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to host Dana College on Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. They will also be at home next Saturday, Jan. 13, as they take on Dordt College at 2:00 p.m.
Turnovers costly in loss to Dana
9 JAN 2007
A strong second half performance propelled the Dana College Vikings to a 73-65 win over the Concordia University, Nebraska Bulldogs in women’s basketball action on Tuesday night in Seward.
Dana (8-9, 2-7 GPAC) snapped a two-game losing streak while the Bulldogs (9-9, 2-6 GPAC) have dropped three of their last four contests.
Concordia seemed to have things under control late in the first half as they took a nine point lead after a 3-pointer by Jordan Schmoldt with 3:07 left in the first frame. Dana then went on a 10-2 run to close out the half, pulling within one, 26-25, at intermission.
The Vikings missed their first three shots of the second half and committed four fouls as the Bulldogs pushed their lead back to seven just over two and half minutes into the second half.
Back to back turnovers by the Bulldogs coupled with a 3-pointer by the Vikings’ Erin Bazata gave Dana a 35-34 lead with 15:53 remaining.
Turnovers plagued Concordia throughout the second half as they had 11 miscues in the second half and finished with 18 for the game that lead to 21 Dana points. Meanwhile, the Vikings had just four turnovers in the second half and 13 in the game.
The teams traded the lead or where tied six times in the final 15 minutes before Dana pulled away behind the play of Allie Lamb and Tricia Trotter who had 13 and 12 points in the second half respectively.
Dana went 6-of-8 from the charity stripe in the final 57 seconds to put the game out of reach for Concordia.
Both teams shot the ball extremely well from the field. Dana hit 57.1 percent of their shots while the Bulldogs converted 52.0 percent of their attempts from the field. In fact, Concordia nearly shot better from the field than from the charity stripe as they made just 10-of-19 (52.6%) free throws.
Freshman TaLisa Krejci led the Bulldogs in scoring for the fifth time this season, scoring 16 points, going 7-of-13 from the field. She also grabbed five boards and dished out two assists.
The only other Bulldog in double figures was Libby Hirssig who finished the game with 11 points, five rebounds and a pair of steals.
Leading the way for Dana was Trotter with 16 points, Lamb with 15 and Amy Nichol with 14. Lamb, who came off the bench, also grabbed five rebounds.
Concordia is back in action this weekend hosting Dordt College in the first game of a men’s/women’s doubleheader at 2:00 p.m.
Four in double figures in 10th win of season
13 JAN 2007
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team used a strong defensive performance in the second half en route to a 62-49 win over the Dordt College Defenders on Saturday afternoon in Seward.
The Bulldogs (10-9, 3-6 GPAC) also benefited 28 trips to the free throw line where they shot 61.9 percent during the second. In addition they limited the Defenders (6-12, 4-5 GPAC) to a paltry 23.8 percent from the field (10-of-42).
After the first 20 minutes the teams battled to a 23-23 tie. Dordt capitalized on 45.8 percent of their attempts in the opening frame while the Bulldogs struggled, hitting on just 10-of-28 opportunities.
Concordia opened the second half with a 12-5 run over the first 5:24. Senior Marie Wintz capped the outburst with a three-pointer. The Bulldogs pushed the lead to as many as 17 throughout the half. The Defenders never threatened down the stretch as the Bulldogs hit enough free throws to preserve the win.
Four different Bulldogs scored in double figures for Concordia. Whitney Stichka, Jenni Lovegrove, Jordan Schmoldt and Danae Koopman all finished with ten points a piece. Lovegrove led Concordia on the boards with seven. In all nine different Bulldogs scored.
Next action for the Bulldogs is Wednesday, Jan. 17 when the Bulldogs travel to Lincoln, Neb., to take on the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Dogs dominate OT, get win over DWU
19 JAN 2007
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team had two players score 20 or more points as they defeated the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers in overtime, 87-81, at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D., on Friday night.
The win marks the third straight for the Bulldogs (12-9, 5-6 GPAC) and their first win in overtime this year. It was the second straight overtime loss for Dakota Wesleyan (4-16, 2-8 GPAC), who lost to Dordt in overtime, 87-79, last Wednesday.
Dakota Wesleyan opened the game with 12-2 run, holding the Bulldogs scoreless for just over three minutes. Jenni Lovegrove scored the first points of the game for Concordia on a layup.
Concordia trailed for all but 63 seconds in the first half. They did tie the game on four separate occasions, but didn’t take their first lead until a bucket by Melissa Tinkham with 1:03 left in the half.
Tinkham and Whitney Stichka handled the majority of the scoring load in the first half, scoring 18 of the Bulldogs’ 35 points. The duo had four three-pointers in the opening frame.
In the second half the Bulldogs were able to extend their advantage to seven points with 13:36. Dakota Wesleyan took the lead just two minutes later thanks in part to back-to-back triples by Jennifer Pommer.
Concordia countered with a 9-0 run of their own, was capped off by a three by Tinkham. Tinkham also had two free throws. The run also consisted of jumper by Danae Koopman on a fastbreak and a pair of Stichka free throws.
The two squads traded the lead twice and were tied three times in the final five minutes. Freshman Amber Quinn hit what proved to be the jumper that forced overtime with 1:24 remaining in regulation.
It was a big defensive stop by the Bulldogs that helped send the game to overtime. Stichka took a charge from Sarah Mortenson with 22 seconds left to give the Bulldogs the ball and a chance to win the game in regulation. A Tinkham shot with five ticks left on the clock didn’t fall, forcing overtime.
In the overtime period the Bulldogs erupted for 19 points, 11 coming via the charity stripe. Concordia led by as many as eight in the extra frame. Stichka had six points in overtime, one of five different players to score for the Bulldogs.
Offensively, Tinkham led all scorers with 24 points, including three three-point field goals. She was also 9-of-11 from the charity stripe. Stichka added 20 points, four boards and three assists.
Lovegrove just missed a double double for the Bulldogs, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds to go along with five assists. Libby Hirssig grabbed rebounds as well to help Concordia to a 47-34 advantage on the glass.
As a team the Bulldogs shot 42.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc.
The Tigers were led in scoring by Ashley Johnson who scored 13 of her 17 points in the second half or overtime. Two other DWU players, Adria Pazour (13) and Whitney Gard (11), were also in double figures.
Concordia continues their road trip with a game in Fremont, Neb., on Tuesday night against Midland Lutheran before heading to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the annual Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT) on Friday and Saturday (Jan 26-27).
Tinkham sparks comeback over Ann Arbor at CIT
26 JAN 2007
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team erased a 12-point halftime deficit as they defeated Concordia University-Ann Arbor, 73-62 in the first round of the 56 Annual Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT) to advance to the championship game tomorrow night.
The tournament is the second longest running college basketball tournament in the nation, trailing only the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). This year CIT is being hosted by Concordia University-Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, Mich.
It was the fifth straight win for the Bulldogs (14-9, 6-6 GPAC), who have won 11 consecutive CIT titles. The Cardinals (4-18) jumped out to an early lead behind some hot shooting in the first half (52.4 percent).
After struggling in the first half from the field, the Bulldogs shot just 27.8 percent from the field; they found their range in the second half hitting on 48 percent of their shots. Sophomore Melissa Tinkham was especially hot, scoring all of her game-high 17 points in the second half.
Tinkham kept the Bulldogs close at the opening of the second half, hitting back-to-back threes, both answering previous three-pointers by Andrea Savage of Ann Arbor.
In fact, Tinkham was perfect from beyond the arc in the second half, going 5-of-5 from downtown.
In addition to Tinkham’s performance, the Bulldogs’ comeback was aided by their opportunities from the charity stripe. The Bulldogs attempted 26 free throws in the second half, making 18; compared to just three free throws tried by the Cardinals in the second half.
Whitney Stichka was a perfect 8-of-8 from the charity stripe in the game, finishing with 13 points. TaLisa Krejci chipped in with 15 points, along with four rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a pair of steals.
Jenni Lovegrove and Libby Hirssig helped the Bulldogs dominate the boards, grabbing 12 and eight rebounds respectively. Lovegrove was just one point of the double double (9 points) while Hirssig hit a big three-pointer down the stretch and was 3-of-4 from the free throw line for six points.
In all eight different Cardinals scored, three in double figures. They were led by Amantha Combs (15), Andrea Savage (12) and Jackie Marr (10).
The Bulldogs look for their 12th consecutive CIT title as they take on Concordia University, Wisconsin on Jan. 27 at 6:00 p.m. (EST).
Falcons come from behind for CIT title
27 JAN 2007
Four different players were in double figures for Concordia University, Wisconsin women’s basketball team as they downed the Bulldogs of Concordia University, Nebraska, 74-68, in the championship game of the 56th Annual Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT) held in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The win for the Falcons (14-3, 11-1 NAC) gave them their first CIT title since 1995. In fact, it was just the first third time since 1987 that the Bulldogs (14-10, 6-6 GPAC) have not won the title.
The Bulldogs jumped out a 7-1 lead to open the game, and held the Falcons without a field goal for almost seven minutes. But Wisconsin chipped away at the led, eventually overtaking it.
At halftime the Falcons had a 34-26 advantage, thanks to 43.8 percent shooting from the field. In addition, they held the Bulldogs to just eight total field goals on 28.6 percent shooting. It was the second straight game that the Bulldogs shot under 30 percent in the first half.
In the second half the Bulldogs were able to battle back and tie the game on numerous occasions, even taking a four-point advantage at one point. But the Falcons were too much to handle in the paint and hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the Bulldogs fate.
In the second half alone the Falcons were 16-of-20 from the charity stripe. They finished the game an impressive 79.2 percent from the free throw line. Krista Mayyou did most of the damage for Concordia Wisconsin, scoring 26 points, eight from the free throw line.
Kristen Ruppe, who was named the MVP of the all-tournament team, finished with a double double grabbing 14 boards and scoring 12 points. Also in double figures for the Falcons were Ericka Ensign with 14 and Megan Sopkowicz with 10.
Concordia was paced by Whitney Stichka who had 16 points and three assists. For the second consecutive night freshman TaLisa Krejci came off the bench to score 15 points for the Bulldogs. Krejci’s performance earned her spot on the all-tournament team.
The next action for the Bulldogs comes on Wednesday Jan. 31, as they host Briar Cliff at 6:00 p.m. in Seward. The game is part of a women’s/men’s double header for Concordia.
Bulldogs make most of free throws, down Briar Cliff
31 JAN 2007
The Concordia University, Nebraska women’s basketball team got back on the winning track, defeating the Briar Cliff Chargers, 56-47, on Wednesday night in Seward.
Concordia (15-10, 7-6 GPAC) has now won seven of their last nine games dating back to a Jan. 6. Briar Cliff (9-16, 6-8 GPAC) dropped their second straight game.
The Bulldogs never trailed, opening up an early 7-0 lead, and held the Chargers to just one field goal for the first 7:54 of the game. Concordia pushed their first half lead to as many as 10 before Briar Cliff made a run.
After scoring just one field goal in almost eight minutes the Charger offense erupted for 12 point in just under three minutes to tie the game at 16 with 8:51 remaining in the first half.
Concordia closed out the second half with a run of their own, outscoring Briar Cliff 13-6 to take a 29-22 lead at half.
Twice during the second half Melissa Tinkham hit threes to push the Bulldog lead to 10. Tinkham eventually hit the free throw that gave Concordia their biggest cushion of the game, 16 points, after being fouled on a drive to the hoop after a steal in the backcourt.
As a team the Bulldogs did a lot of damage from the charity stripe converting 18-of-23 chances from the line, an impressive 78.3 percent. In all Concordia attempted 11 more free throws than the Chargers who made just eight free throws in the game.
In fact the Bulldogs final five points all came via the free throw line, as the Bulldogs didn’t have a field goal during the final 4:38 of the game.
Tinkham led the Bulldogs offensively with 15 points. She was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. It marks the fourth time this season the she has had four or more three-point field goals. Only twice this season has Tinkham not had a three.
TaLisa Krejci was also in double figures for Concordia with 11 points and five rebounds. Jordan Schmoldt also chipped in with eight points. Libby Hirssig grabbed nine rebounds as the Bulldogs out-boarded the Chargers by 14.
Briar Cliff had two players in double figures, Jamee Phipps (11) and Kayla Boyd (10).
The Bulldogs continue their home-stand on Saturday as they take on the Mount Marty Lancers in a 2:00 p.m. contest. Mount Marty was rated No. 15 in the latest NAIA Division II Poll.
#15 Mount Marty too much down the stretch
3 FEB 2007
The 15th-ranked Mount Marty Lancers limited Concordia University, Nebraska to one field goal in the final 10:08 to pick up a 58-43 win in women’s basketball action on Saturday afternoon in Seward.
Mount Marty (18-6, 12-3 GPAC) ran their current win streak to six games while the Bulldogs (15-11, 7-7 GPAC) saw their modest five-game conference win streak come to an end.
Neither team was able to pull away in the first half as the team traded leads three times and were tied twice. The Bulldogs opened up the biggest advantage, five points, in the opening frame.
The back-and-forth battled continued in the second half as the biggest lead for either team during the first 13 minutes of the second half was four.
Concordia opened the second half with a 9-3 run over the first three minutes to take a 34-30 lead. But the Lancers answered, taking a 36-39 lead with 10:39 left in the game. On the ensuing possession the Bulldogs tied the game with a three from freshman TaLisa Krejci. It proved to the only long range field goal of the second half for Concordia.
In fact, the Bulldogs would manage just one field goal the rest of the way as Mount Marty outscored Concordia 19-4 to close out the game. One reason was cold shooting of the Bulldogs from beyond the arc. Concordia was just 3-of-17 (17.6 percent) from three for the game and 30.6 percent from the field for the game.
Mount Marty also took advantage of their trips to the charity stripe, converting on 20-of-23 attempts compared to just 10-of-14 for the Bulldogs. The Lancers also made the most of Concordia’s miscues (21 turnovers) turning them into 17 points. The Bulldogs did win the battle on the glass, out-rebounding the Lancers by seven.
Sophomore Whitney Stichka, who had 10 points in the first half, led Concordia with 12 points. She was the only Bulldog in double figures. Libby Hirssig and Krejci each added nine points as Hirssig also grabbed six boards. Jenni Lovegrove pulled down nine rebounds.
Emily Witte (12) was one of two players in double figures for Mount Marty. Brandi Trudeau chipped in with 10 points. In all, 10 different players scored for the Lancers.
The Bulldogs take to the road for a pair of games, taking on Dana College on Feb. 6 and Hastings on Feb. 10, before returning home to close out the regular season with a pair of games.
Women sweep week, Stichka scores 35
14 & 17 FEB 2007
The Concordia University, Nebraska women's basketball team picked up a pair of wins last week, downing Midland Lutheran, 63-59, on Wednesday and the University of Sioux Falls, 80-69, on Saturday.
With the wins the Bulldogs (18-12, 10-8 GPAC) wrapped up the No. 6 seed in Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament. Concordia will host No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan University in a 7:30 p.m. contest on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Against Midland three players were in double figures for the Bulldogs as they took control of the game with around five minutes remaining. The game featured 10 ties and nine lead changes.
Concordia took a two-point lead on a triple by Melissa Tinkham with 2:33 left, and then made seven free throws in the final 1:24 to seal the win.
Tinkham paced the Bulldogs with 14 points. TaLisa Krejci and Whitney Stichka added 12 and 10 points respectively in the win.
Stichka had a career afternoon as the Bulldogs wrapped up the regular season with a win over Sioux Falls. She finished the game with a career-high 35 points, 23 coming in the first half. She was accurate from the field, going 13-of-18 from the field, 4-of-4 from beyond the arc and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
The Bulldogs led for the final 25:16, although USF did cut the Concordia lead to a two midway through the second half. The Bulldogs countered with a 14-5 run to put the game out of reach.
Other than Stichka's 35 points, two other Bulldogs were in double figures. Krejci added 11 points while Libby Hirssig had a double double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
For the second straight season the Bulldogs will host Dakota Wesleyan in a first-round GPAC contest on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The winner will advance to the second-round contest against No. 3 seed Hastings College on Thursday in Hastings.
Three score 17 as Bulldogs advance
20 FEB 2007
Three different players finished with 17 points for the Concordia University, Nebraska, women's basketball team as they defeated the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers, 77-67, in the first round of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Tournament on Tuesday night in Seward.
With the win, Concordia (19-12, 10-8 GPAC) moves into the second-round of the GPAC where they will face third seed Hastings College on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. in Hastings, Neb.
Dakota Wesleyan had the upper hand for the majority of the first half, opening up a seven point lead on two occasions. In fact, the Bulldogs led just three times during the opening frame.
Concordia was able to take a two-point advantage into the lockerroom at intermission, thanks to a buzzer beater by freshman Stacy Scheer.
The second half proved to be a half of runs, as the teams were tied six times and traded the lead four times. The Bulldogs opened the second frame with a three by TaLisa Krejci and a layup by Whitney Stichka to take a five point lead.
The Tigers answered with an 8-1 run of their own to re-take the lead, 38-36. The see saw battle continued until Concordia broke a 57 all tie with 9-0 run that included back-to-back threes by Krejci and Stichka.
Solid free throw shooting, the Bulldogs converted on 9-of-10 attempts from the charity stripe in the final 1:18, sealed the first-round victory.
Krejci finished with a double double, grabbing 10 boards while scoring 17 points. She was one of three Bulldogs with 17, including Libby Hirssig and Stichka. Hirssig came off the bench to dominate the inside on both ends of the court. She also grabbed eight rebounds.
As a team the Bulldogs won the battle on the glass, out rebounding the Tigers, 37-24, en route to 15 second chance points.
Four players reached double figures for Dakota Wesleyan including Sarah Mortensen (17), Kara Overweg (15), Ashley Johnson (11) and Adria Pazour (10).
Early deficit too much to overcome
22 FEB 2007
No. 10 Hastings College jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they defeated the Concordia University, Nebraska women's basketball team, 77-65, in the quarterfinals of the GPAC Tournament on Thursday evening in Hastings, Neb.
Concordia (19-13, 10-8 GPAC) was held without a field goal for the first five minutes as the Broncos (24-6, 14-4 GPAC) built a double digit lead, 11-0, that proved to be insurmountable for the Bulldogs. Hastings, the three seed in the tournament, will take on two seed Mount Marty on Saturday in the semifinals.
The Bronco lead ballooned to 24 at one point during the first half behind solid shooting from the field (50 percent) and eight steals. The Bulldogs didn't help themselves, committing 13 turnovers in the first 20 minutes of play.
Hastings recorded their biggest lead of the night, 27 points, after a three by freshman Heather McKeon with 16:22 remaining.
Concordia then went on a run of their own, cutting the lead to single digits, with 9:25 left on the clock. The spurt was started by Libby Hirssig who scored on a layup and was wrapped up at the charity stripe by Elizabeth Spencer. Whitney Stichka had 12 of the Bulldogs points during the 24-6 run.
The closest the Bulldogs would get the rest of the way was eight, as Hirssig made it 73-65 with a traditional three-point play at the 2:47 mark. Hastings hit four free throws in the final 64 seconds to seal the win.
Hirssig notched the double double, finishing with a game-high 23 points along with 11 rebounds. Hirssig was 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-7 from the line. Other Bulldogs in double figures included Stichka (13) and Jordan Schmoldt (11).
For Hastings Kay Broekemeier led the way scoring 18 points, while Lindsay Ducey had a double double with 17 points and 10 boards. Stacy Svoboda and Hruka Yamishito added 12 and 11 points respectively.
Concordia finishes the season with an overall record of 19-11 under first-year head coach Drew Olson. The Bulldogs will return all but one player, senior Marie Wintz,, next season.
Three tabbed as All-GPAC
The Concordia University, Nebraska women's basketball team has three players on the 2006-07 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) All-Conference Team. The list, released last week, consists of 10 first-team members, 10 second-team members and an honorable mention list.
Sophomore Whitney Stichka (Ruskin, Neb.) was named to the first-team while sophomore Melissa Tinkham and freshman TaLisa Krejci each earned honorable mention status.
Stichka was among the top 15 in the GPAC in four different statistical categories. She was eight in scoring, averaging 13.3 point per game, 13th in assists with 2.44 per game, seventh in free throw percentage (79.8 percent) and third in three-point percentage (42.3 percent).
Tinkham (Kearney, Neb.) was the second leading scorer for Concordia. The 5-9 guard was one of the leading three-point shooters in the conference, knocking down 63 shots from long range, fifth best in the GPAC and No. 18 in NAIA Division II.
Krejci (Exeter, Neb.) averaged double figures for Concordia with 10.0 points per game. She led the Bulldogs in scoring in seven games during the season. Defensively she had 49 steals to lead the team.
Stichka earns NAIA honor
Sophomore Whitney Stichka, a member of the Concordia University, Nebraska women's basketball team, was named an honorable mention selection on the 2006 NAIA Division II All-American Teams. The NAIA All-American teams are comprised of ten first-team members, ten second-team members, ten third-team members and an honorable mention list.
The last Bulldog to earn All-American honors was Kari Saving who was named to the second-team in 2005.
Stichka (Ruskin, Neb.) led the Bulldogs in scoring as was among the top 15 in the GPAC in four different statistical categories. She was eighth in scoring, averaging 13.3 point per game, 13th in assists with 2.44 per game, seventh in free throw percentage (79.8 percent) and third in three-point percentage (42.3 percent.)