Scoring: Lyndi Anderson 15, Allyssa Smith 11, Kate Helgeson 8, Marleigh Kuchar 7, Kacie Beattie 6, Haley Mindt 6, Allison Scherr 5; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 13, Kyah LaPlant 6, Allyssa Smith 5; Assist Leaders: Kyah LaPlant 5, Marleigh Kuchar 3, Haley Mindt 3; Steals Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: I thought we really fought the good fight against a very good team. I felt we played very well except for a five minute stretch just before half time. We were playing outstanding defense until that five minute mark when we messed up on our rotations and left perimeter shooters open. They drained a couple of big 3's to get the lead to 10 at the break. We battled back and took a one point lead with nine minutes left but came up with some empty offensive possessions and had to battle from behind the remainder of the game. We struggled hitting shots but did a lot of other things right. We were very pleased with how we took care of the basketball having only 11 turnovers. Two key areas that hurt us were the boards and the free throw line. We lost in both of those areas and they are always critical in close games. Kelsey Sigl hurt us but overall I was very pleased with the defensive effort. I thought our sophomores really stepped up and understood the moment. It was a disappointing loss but I am very proud of the team effort and how we played the game. We finished strong.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 16, Kacie Beattie 11, Haley Mindt 10, Marleigh Kuchar 3, Allyssa Smith 3, Lyndi Anderson 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 5, Allison Scherr 4; Assist Leaders: Various players with 2; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 4, Lyndi Anderson 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We started out poorly vs. the hottest team in the MonDak. We got down 10-2 and couldn't get it much closer throughout the game. They are really playing with a lot of aggressiveness and confidence. We have a number of players who are also playing well late in the season but we couldn't match their play. We relied a lot on the three point shot vs. their zone and didn't shoot it particularly well. We did battle hard and I was pleased with the effort. I was not all that happy however with our defensive play in the first half and our rebounding for the entire game. Our defense is our strength but we didn't execute as well as we normally do. Allison had a very good effort and it was especially good to see vs. a tough team. Kacie played well on both ends of the court. It was a tough road trip after our Bismarck battles earlier in the week and we have to feel O.K. with getting a split.

Scoring: Lyndi Anderson 12, Allison Scherr 12, Allyssa Smith 11, Marleigh Kuchar 10, Haley Mindt 6, Kyah LaPlant 1, Kate Helgeson 1; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 11, Allyssa Smith 9, Allison Scherr 7; Assist Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 3, Kacie Beattie 2; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kate Helgeson 2

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: This was a nice win and guarantees us a 15 win season which is always a team goal. We really played well in the first four minutes behind some good three point shooting by Allison and some solid team defense. We had a 10 point lead early but got a bit sloppy and let the lead slip some. We had some nice balanced scoring with four ladies in double figures. Our starting posts played very well as Marleigh had a double/double and Allyssa was one rebound short of her double/double. Lyndi had another excellent game and has played some very good basketball as we move toward tournament time. Two things that need to be cleaned up are our rebounding and free throw shooting. We have been solid on the boards this year but we gave up 19 offensive rebounds while we compiled only nine today. We had a 14 point lead late in the game but missed some clutch free throws down the stretch to make the game closer than it needed to be. Overall it was a good effort and it's always great to get a win on the Montana trip.

Scoring: Lyndi Anderson 12, Allison Scherr 11, Kate Helgeson 10, Allyssa Smith 9, Marleigh Kuchar 6, Haley Mindt 5, Kacie Beattie 3, Kyah LaPlant 3; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 14, Kate Helgeson 8, Allison Scherr 5; Assist Leaders: Allison Scherr 3, various others with 2; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 3, Allyssa Smith 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: I thought we really put up a good battle against and outstanding team tonight. We fell behind 10-2 to start the game but came back and took a five point lead with about five minutes to go in the first half. We had a couple of big turnovers just before half to relinquish the lead and never could get it back. I really thought we played an excellent first half and an O.K. second half. I thought we did a pretty good job on their dominate post player, Kelsey Sigl holding her to 12 points. To get that done we had to double her as much as possible and in the process gave up too many easy baskets to Alyssa Hummel as she ended with 31 points. For the second straight night we had good post play from Kate as she scored all 10 of her points in that well played first half. Allison had a nice game knocking in three shots from behind the three point arc. Lyndi had her usual solid defensive effort and had an excellent game penetrating and making good decisions. She turned the corner on our ball screens and created some good opportunities. Marleigh again was our leader and very tough on the boards. Overall it was a pretty good night in spite of the loss. I think we learned a lot and will come out of this game with some confidence.

Scoring: Kacie Beattie 14, Allison Scherr 12, Kate Helgeson 11, Lyndi Anderson 9, Marleigh Kuchar 6, Haley Mindt 6, Allyssa Smith 3, Kyah LaPlant 2, Ashley Fossum 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 13, Kate Helgeson 8, Allison Scherr 6; Assist Leaders: Kate Helgeson 4, Marleigh Kuchar 2, Kacie Beattie 2, Kyah LaPlant 2, Allison Scherr 2; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2, Allyssa Smith 2, Haley Mindt 2, Allison Scherr 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kate Helgeson 1, Lyndi Anderson 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We played decent basketball for about 32 minutes but the first ten minutes of the second half really hurt us. We went in tied at halftime but got outscored 29-4 to start the second half. Their pressure bothered us and we really had trouble getting to their shooters in transition. We also took a calculated risk and cheated off a couple of their players on the perimeter and to their credit they made us pay. We did battle back and cut the lead to single digits but then played the fouling game without success. I really thought we missed a great opportunity to open the game up early as they had trouble scoring but we couldn't capitalize. We did hold an early lead but we missed too many good chances. Some players stepped up for us and had nice games. Lyndi did another great job defensively on Bearstail holding her to seven points until we fouled her at the end and she converted on four free throws. Kacie really looked for her shot and knocked in some big threes. Kate had an excellent game in the post offensively, scoring, passing and rebounding very well. Marleigh led us again on the boards with another double figure night. We were certainly disappointed in the results of the game but not our effort. We battled hard and had our chances in this game.

Scoring: Marleigh Kuchar 13, Kacie Beattie 11, Allyssa Smith 9, Kate Helgeson 6, Allison Scherr 5, Kyah LaPlant 4, Haley Mindt 3, Lyndi Anderson 2; Rebounding Leaders: Allyssa Smith 5, Marleigh Kuchar 5; Assist Leaders: Allyssa Smith 3, Lyndi Anderson 2, Marleigh Kuchar 2, Allison Scherr 2; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2, Allison Scherr 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Allyssa Smith 1, Kate Helgeson 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: Is spite of the defeat I was pleased with our effort. We did a much better job of handling their pressure than we did in our first meeting with the Royals. We only turned the ball over six times in the second half that is very good in this type of game. I thought defensively we did a pretty good job of keeping their perimeter players from getting to the basket. We did have trouble with their posts however and that needs to be corrected. Our posts played very well offensively and combined for 28 points. That is a very positive sign and we look for that to continue. Marleigh had her best offensive night in the post as a Jack and really looked good. If we get that continued strong play from her it will really compliment our perimeter game. Kacie had an excellent shooting night going three for four from the three point line. She looked much more aggressive in hunting for her shot and that's something the team really needs her to do. I thought our second half play was very good and we put ourselves in position to win late in the game. With about three minutes left we cut the lead to four points but couldn't get any closer. Overall it was a pretty good performance by the ladies.

Scoring: Allyssa Smith 14, Haley Mindt 5, Allison Scherr 4, Lyndi Anderson 4, Kate Helgeson 4, Marleigh Kuchar 4; Kacie Beattie 3, Ashley Fossum 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 11, Allison Scherr 10, Allyssa Smith 8, Kate Helgeson 7; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2, Marleigh Kuchar 2, Allison Scherr 2; Steals Leaders: Numerous players with 1; Blocked Shots Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 1, Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: This was a disappointing night for us as we believe we are much better than the final score indicated. We got off to a very good start with an excellent defensive effort and had the lead six minutes into the game by a score of 11-1. We got in some foul trouble and that really hurt our momentum. In the next few minutes we were outscored by the Wildcats on a 20-0 run. The game was very physical and that's not our type of game. We had a poor night shooting, not only from the field but also from the free throw line. Turnovers again were a key as we had too many and the Wildcats did a nice job in that department. Our front court worked hard on the boards with Marleigh, Allison, Allyssa, and Kate each rebounding well. Allyssa gave us some good scoring for the second straight game in the post. That will be really important as we attempt to tune things up in the final games of the season.

Scoring: Allyssa Smith 16, Allison Scherr 11, Haley Mindt 9, Kacie Beattie 9, Karly Brummond 6, Jen Thiessen 5, Kate Helgeson 4, Kyah LaPlant 3, Marleigh Kuchar 3; Ashley Fossum 2; Rebounding Leaders: Allyssa Smith 12, Marleigh Kuchar 6; Assist Leaders: Allyssa Smith 5, Haley Mindt 3, Kayla Kubik 3; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 4, Kayla Kubik 4, Marleigh Kuchar 4; Blocked Shots Leaders: Allyssa Smith 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: It was good to get back on the winning track with a game in which we received a lot of minutes from everyone. We started kind of sluggish in the first half in spite of a nice lead at the break. We played much sharper in the second half and that was the result of some dominating defensive play. Our defense created some transition baskets and got us on a nice run to start the second half, getting our lead to 64-21 at one time. Allyssa had a very good game in front of her home town fans and produced a double/double. Turnovers were the key to the game. They had some quick guards who gave us some trouble but they had many more problems handling our pressure.

Scoring: Haley Mindt 18, Allyssa Smith 9, Lyndi Anderson 9, Kate Helgeson 6, , Kacie Beattie 6, Allison Scherr 4, Kayla Kubik 4, Marleigh Kuchar 3; Rebounding Leaders: Haley Mindt 10, Marleigh Kuchar 9, Allyssa Smith 9; Allison Scherr 9; Assist Leaders: Allison Scherr 6, Haley Mindt 3; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 5; Blocked Shots Leaders: Allison Scherr 1, Lyndi Anderson 1, Kayla Kubik 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We certainly had a disappointing first half and it was difficult to overcome. We just didn't seem prepared to play at the level needed versus a good team. We struggled with our decision making against their pressure and really executed poorly offensively. We went down at halftime shooting 20% from the field overall and 14% from the three point line. I will give the girls a lot of credit as they came out the second half with more energy and alertness and got back into the game. We still were a bit out of rhythm offensively but we played much more aggressively and attack the basket better. Once we started to do that we finally dropped some shots. We did do a good job on the boards and had a lot of girls contributing. We shot much better with 49% shooting in the second half and cut our turnovers to eight. Haley had an excellent second half scoring all 18 of her points after the break. Lyndi did an outstanding job defending Kristin Bearstail and held her 13 points below her conference leading scoring average. Overall we did a decent job against a very high powered offense. They rely a lot on the three pointer and they shot only 24% for the game. Some of those were too open but we had to give up something on the perimeter. We would certainly be very happy if we can hold them to 64 points in our visit to Bismarck. In spite of a good second half we were not happy with the overall result. We know that we need to play well for 40 minutes versus our MonDak Conference opponents.

Scoring: Haley Mindt 16, Allison Scherr 12, Lyndi Anderson 8, Kate Helgeson 6, , Kyah LaPlant 6, Allyssa Smith 5, Kacie Beattie 3, Marleigh Kuchar 3; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 16, Allison Scherr 11, Haley Mindt 5; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 5, Marleigh Kuchar 3; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 4, Marleigh Kuchar 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: This was undoubtedly our biggest win of the season at this point in time. It was especially sweet after the way they had handled us in Williston. They are an outstanding shooting team as witnessed by their 15 of 26 from the three point line last time we played them and we certainly caught them on a poor shooting night. That being said I thought our defensive play had a lot to do with their performance. I thought we had some outstanding individual defensive play but more importantly we had a great team effort. We did a terrific job of helping each other out and being a part of the team defense. Lyndi and Marleigh really led the defensive effort with great performances. We also did an outstanding job on the boards in the first half limiting the Tetons to one offensive rebound. Marleigh led us again with a yeomen's job of 16 boards for the game. We had our best half of the season offensively putting up 42 points vs. a very good team. Haley led us with some excellent shooting and perimeter play. Allison had another nice performance with a double/double and Kyah hit two big three's in the first half to help maintain our momentum. I thought we did a very good job as a team, especially in the first half finding and hitting the open person. Our 15 turnovers for the game were key and very acceptable against a MonDak opponent. We did struggle in the second half scoring but our defensive effort really secured the win. We have played some pretty good basketball in our last three games and we hope that will continue into Regional play.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 18, Allyssa Smith 15, Lyndi Anderson 12, Haley Mindt 9, Marleigh Kuchar 8, Kacie Beattie 3, Kyah LaPlant 3; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 8, Allyssa Smith 7, Allison Scherr 6, Kate Helgeson 5; Assist Leaders: Allison Scherr 5, Allyssa Smith 3, Kate Helgeson 3; Steals Leaders: Kacie Beattie 2, Marleigh Kuchar 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 2, Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: I was very pleased with the effort but obviously disappointed that we could not pull off a victory. I thought we really hustled and played together very well. I was very happy with the rebounding effort as we had 14 offensive boards to their seven. I was somewhat disappointed in our defensive play. We certainly worked hard on that end of the floor but didn't play as smart as we need to. We didn't do a great job of always being a part of our team defense. Our defensive play has been a strength of our team so we need to get our togetherness back for next Wednesday. Allison had another nice game and Lyndi had her most efficient offensive game of the season scoring 12 points on six shot attempts. Allyssa and Marleigh combined for 23 points and 15 rebounds from the post position and that is something we need to see continued. It was a hard fought battle and one in which we thought we should have come out on top. We had a few empty possessions late in the game and that made the difference. We need to improve our execution at crunch time. Overall it was a step forward in the improvement we are seeking.

Scoring: Haley Mindt 24, Allyssa Smith 10, Allison Scherr 8, Kacie Beattie 6, Kate Helgeson 4, Marleigh Kuchar 3, Lyndi Anderson 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 10, Allison Scherr 8, Allyssa Smith 5; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 6, Kacie Bettie 4, Allison Scherr 4; Steals Leaders: Haley Mindt 3, Allison Scherr 2, Ashley Fossum 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 1, Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We certainly played much better than we did last night. I thought our offensive execution was pretty good, especially in the first half. We only had five turnovers at the half and that is a season low. We really seemed ready to play and worked very hard. Our biggest problem was not having an answer for Kelsey Sigl. She had a triple double with 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. She also had four blocked shots to have a pretty impressive game. We shot the ball well again from the three point line with Haley leading us going six for nine behind the arc. She had an outstanding game, probably her best as a Ladyjack. Lyndi had a nice game running the offense. She did a nice job of making the easy pass and getting the ball to the right person at the right time. We did a better job on the boards in spite of their excellent front line size. Marleigh and Allison did a nice job of leading us on the glass. Overall it was a good team effort. We need to pick up our scoring from inside 15' and we will be fine.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 14, Haley Mindt, 11, Kate Helgeson 8, Lyndi Anderson 7, Kayla Kubik 4, Kyah LaPlant 3; Karly Brummond 3, Marleigh Kuchar 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 7, Allison Scherr 5; Assist Leaders: Allison Scherr 3, Marleigh Kuchar 3, Kyah LaPlant 3; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 4; Blocked Shots Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 1, Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: What a disastrous first half for us. We had our poorest shooting half since I have been with the Jacks, going 2 of 29 for a very cool 7%. The Royals pressure, especially in the first half really bothered us. We played the game at their tempo and that's certainly not good with their athletic ability. Our poor shooting and numerous turnovers led to far too many easy transition points for the Royals. We also had our poorest rebounding night of the season giving up 22 offensive rebounds. We regrouped at halftime and did play considerably better. We did have some positives in spite of the defeat. We shot free throws well and did a pretty good job from the three point line. We also had a nice game out of Kate in the post which we believe is a good sign for the future. Haley had an efficient game offensively and that was good to see as we will be counting on her offensive production down the stretch. Allison did a lot of good things for us again on both ends of the court.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 22, Haley Mindt 8, Marleigh Kuchar 6, Allyssa Smith 6, Lyndi Anderson 4, Kyah LaPlant 3, Jen Thiessen 3; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 9, Allyssa Smith 7, Allison Scherr 7; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 3, Marleigh Kuchar 3; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 5, Marleigh Kuchar 4; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kyah LaPlant 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We really played tired on our third day of the Winnipeg road trip. We worked hard and won the hustle points on the boards and in the floor game. Where the fatigue factor showed was in our shooting. We seemed to be missing our legs and we were pretty consistently short on most misses. We especially shot poorly around the basket and from the free throw line. We were saved today by a big game by Allison. She played a very nice game and was about our only consistent option offensively. We were in a battle and the game was tied at 34-34 with ten minutes remaining. We outscored the Rebels 18-7 down the stretch with some good defensive play and big baskets by Allison. It was a good three day road trip. I thought we made some good progress defensively and came away with three wins. We still need to sharpen up our offensive execution as MonDak play looms.

Scoring: Allyssa Smith 13, Haley Mindt 9, Allison Scherr 8, Marleigh Kuchar 6, Kate Helgeson 6, Lyndi Anderson 5, Kyah LaPlant 5, Ashley Fossum 3, Jen Thiessen 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 12, Kate Helgeson 8, Karly Brummond 6, Allison Scherr 6; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 3, Allison Scherr 3; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 3, Kayla Kubik 2, Marleigh Kuchar 2, Allyssa Smith 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Allyssa Smith 5

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We were pleased that we were able to get a lot of minutes for everyone in this game. Again I thought we played pretty well defensively, highlighted by Allyssa's five blocked shots. Offensively we were able to get the ball inside and get some things done around the basket. Both Allyssa and Kate played well in the post. Two areas we were not pleased with were the offensive boards and our ball handling. The Blazers had 14 offensive boards to our nine. We were too sloppy with our passing and both areas need to improve. Overall it was a good night with contributions from everyone.

Scoring: Allyssa Smith 12, Kyah LaPlant 12, Allison Scherr 11, Haley Mindt 9, Kacie Beattie 8, Lyndi Anderson 6, Kate Helgeson 4, Marleigh Kuchar 1, Kayla Kubik 1; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 11, Lyndi Anderson 6, Allison Scherr 6; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 3, Marleigh Kuchar 3; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 3, Allison Scherr 2, Kacie Beattie 2, Haley Mindt 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 2

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: This was another intense contest against a nice Swoosh team. It was not particularly well played but both teams played very hard. I thought we did a pretty good job defensively and we were led on that end of the court by Allyssa, Lyndi, Marleigh, and Kayla. Kyah, Kacie, and Haley hit some big baskets from the perimeter and it was good to see them seemingly back on track after a slow start after the break. Allyssa had a solid game in the post and Marleigh led us again on the boards.

Scoring: Allyssa Smith 20, Allison Scherr 16, Lyndi Anderson 10, Haley Mindt 7, Marleigh Kuchar 6, Kate Helgeson 5; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 6, Allison Scherr 5; Kate Helgeson 5; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 6; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 1, Kacie Beattie 1, Haley Mindt 1, Allison Scherr 1, Allyssa Smith 1; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kayla Kubik 1, Kate Helgeson 1, Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: It was great to come back with a victory after our last outing. We had to work hard to overcome some excellent quickness by the Magic guards and our own mistakes. We would build a bit of lead and then give it back. Much of that could be attributed to our problems handling their quickness and penetration. We had a five point lead with about two minutes left in the first half and went in trailing by one. We did make some big plays down the stretch, especially from the free throw line. Us getting to the line more than them and converting with such a good percentage was the difference in the game. We had an excellent outing from Allyssa as she had her college career high scoring night. Allison carried us in the first half with all 16 of her points. Kate, Allyssa, and Lyndi all stepped to the line late in the game and convert on their free throws. Overall it was a good first step in getting our play back to where it was before the break. We have three games in Winnipeg next week that will be important in our growth.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 14, Haley Mindt 10, Kate Helgeson 5, Lyndi Anderson 4, Ashley Fossum 4, Marleigh Kuchar 3, Kacie Beattie 3, Kyah LaPlant 3, Allyssa Smith 2, Kayla Kubik 2, Karly Brummond 1; Rebounding Leaders: Allyssa Smith 6, Allison Scherr 5; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2, Kacie Beattie 2; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 3; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: A brutal start for us and some outstanding shooting by the Tetons made for the longest night of our season. We got behind 24-3 in the first few minutes and never recovered. We did play better the last six minutes of the half and made a bit of run during the first eight minutes of the second half to cut a huge Williston lead to 17 points. It was one of those nights where we could not match the play of a quality opponent. Defensively I thought we did a decent job of stopping their inside game but we did a poor job of getting to their shooters and stopping their transition. Offensively we didn't execute well. The positive of our offensive play would have to have been our three-point shooting. That's a good sign that hopefully we can pick that up where we left off at the break. We also had another nice game from Allison. We've been working hard on our inside game and improvement will need to show during games for us to develop our overall offensive game. We have five non-conference games in a row to regroup before we hit a tough MonDak schedule.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 18, Haley Mindt 10, Marleigh Kuchar 8, Kate Helgeson 7, Kacie Beattie 5, Lyndi Anderson 6, Allyssa Smith 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 12, Kate Helgeson 5; Assist Leaders: Allison Scherr 6, Marleigh Kuchar 3; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 3, Allison Scherr 3; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: Really a tough loss but I was proud of the effort. Our ladies played hard but the Pioneers just made more plays in the last ten minutes. We played so well for the first ¾ of the game but ran out of gas. We had a 46-32 lead but got outscored 27 to 10 down the stretch. We had some good shots but we needed a couple more to drop. We took good care of the ball with only 14 turnovers but got beat on the boards for one of the first times this year. Defensively I thought we played pretty well. We gave a bit too much penetration but we did a good job of playing together and helping each other out. Offensively Allison had a very good game for us and not only led us in scoring but created some opportunities for her teammates.

Scoring: Haley Mindt 16, Allison Scherr 14, Kate Helgeson 14, Marleigh Kuchar 10, Jen Thiessen 6, Kacie Beattie, 5, Lyndi Anderson 5, Kyah LaPlant 4, Kayla Kubik 2, Karly Brummond 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 10, Kate Helgeson 7, Allison Scherr 7; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 7, Haley Mindt 4, Allison Scherr 4; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 5, Allison Scherr 2, Haley Mindt 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: It was good to get back from the break and start things with a victory. I thought we showed some rust from the vacation but did enough good things to get the job done. Our shooting percentage was pretty good, we took decent care of the ball, and we won the battle on the boards. Those hustle points got us through. Our offensive execution was not as sharp as I would have liked but that is to be expected with the layoff. Even though we had some nice individual defensive play overall our defensive team performance was below our standards. We had four people in double figures and good contributing minutes from everyone. Marleigh had a double/double and Lyndi had a very nice floor game. Haley led use offensively with a very efficient performance. It was a good start to 2010.

Scoring: Haley Mindt 16, Allison Scherr 15, Kyah LaPlant 11, Ashley Fossum 10, Allyssa Smith 7, Lyndi Anderson 6, Kate Helgeson 6, Marleigh Kuchar 4, Kacie Beattie 3, Jen Thiessen 3, Kayla Kubik 2, Keysha Jansen 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 14, Kate Helgeson, 7, Allison Scherr 7, Allyssa Smith 7, Kyah LaPlant 7; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 4, Marleigh Kuchar 4; Steals Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 3, Kyah LaPlant 3; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kayla Kubik 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: This is a nice way to go into the Christmas break. We have put together four pretty solid games in a row and feel good about our play. We started kind of sluggish tonight but picked things up toward the end of the first half. We struggled a bit hitting our shots early but felt pretty good about the shots we were getting. We picked up our defensive intensity and that created some easy baskets and got us going. Our bench was important again and did a nice job of picking up the pace of play. Defensively we did an adequate job of stopping their transition and did a great job of limiting their number of three point attempts. Both of those areas were game plan keys. Offensively we got good shots and took very good care of the basketball. We did a great job on the boards with 28 offensive rebounds compared to their nine. That, and the difference in turnovers, certainly indicates we won the hustle points battle. We need to enjoy the break and come back ready to continue improving for the tough MonDak play in 2010.

Scoring: Kyah LaPlant 12, Kacie Beattie 12, Haley Mindt, 11, Allison Scherr 8, Allyssa Smith 7, Lyndi Anderson 4, Kate Helgeson 3, Marleigh Kuchar 1; Rebounding Leaders: Allyssa Smith 9, Kacie Beattie 7, Marleigh Kuchar 5, Allison Scherr 5; Assist Leaders: Allison Scherr 4, Haley Mindt 3; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 3, Lyndi Anderson 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Allyssa Smith 3, Kacie Beattie 1, Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: What a big win for our team. This was another really great team effort. I thought we played very well defensively for the second straight game. We did a pretty good job of contesting shots and had good team help on most possessions. They run an offense that puts an emphasis on basket cuts and back cuts and I thought we did a good job of limiting the damage these cuts can create. Offensively we did struggle a bit in taking care of the ball and had far too many turnovers. We made up for that with another good game on the boards and with some very good long range shooting. We had some key contributions again from our "sixth man" with both Kyah and Kacie having a huge game from the three point line. Kyah was 4 for 4 and Kacie 3 for 3 behind the arc. Kyah really turned momentum in the first half with all four of her baskets while Kacie picked up in the second half with a couple of big baskets down the stretch. Overall it was a great way to start MonDak play as we go into the Christmas break at 2-0, tied for the conference lead. We could not be more excited and we're feeling good about our play at this time.

Scoring: Haley Mindt 17, Allison Scherr 14, Allyssa Smith 10, Kyah LaPlant 6, Marleigh Kuchar 5, Lyndi Anderson 2, Kate Helgeson 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 12, Kate Helgeson, 12 Allison Scherr 6; Assist Leaders: Haley Mindt 3, Lyndi Anderson 3; Steals Leaders: Kacie Beattie 5, Allison Scherr 3; Blocked Shots Leaders: Allison Scherr 2, Kate Helgeson 1, Kacie Beattie 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: This was huge victory for our team and a great way to start the MonDak Conference season. I was very happy with our defensive play and I thought that was the key to the game. We did a very good job of contesting shots, getting deflections, defending the post, and having everyone involved as a part of the team defense. It was a total team defensive effort. We had another excellent game on the boards, with Marleigh and Kate being pretty dominate. Haley really led us offensively in the first half scoring 15 of her points and Allison was our offensive leader in the second half putting up 10 points. Even though we didn't shoot particularly well I was satisfied with our offensive play. We played unselfish and aggressive. We had some excellent play from our "sixth man" sparked by Kate's and Kacie's defensive play. Kyah and Ashley also gave the team some great minutes. Kyah hit two big three point shots in the first half when we were struggling a bit offensively. Those were key baskets in turning the momentum of the game. It was great to have Allyssa back in the lineup and that really helped our team toughness and aggressiveness. Lyndi did a very good job of controlling the game from the point guard position late in the second half to insure the final outcome. Overall it was a very nice team effort.

Scoring: Haley Mindt 19, Allison Scherr 14, Kacie Beattie 11, Kyah LaPlant 9, Lyndi Anderson 8, Marleigh Kuchar 6, Kayla Kubik 6, Kate Helgeson 6, Kara Davis 5, Ashley Fossum 4; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 6, Allison Scherr 5, Kate Helgeson 5; Assist Leaders: Haley Mindt 6, Allison Scherr 3, Lyndi Anderson 2; Steals Leaders: Allison Scherr 6, Lyndi Anderson 3, Haley Mindt 3, Kyah LaPlant 3; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kara Davis 1, Kate Helgeson 1, Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: It was nice to get back on the winning track and especially nice to see some shots go in for the Jacks. Both teams shot very well from the field with us having a season high night. The difference in the game was the floor game. We cut our turnovers to a season low and forced them into a high number. The way they were shooting the ball we needed that to get some easy baskets. We did a much better job of getting back in transition defense then we did in our scrimmage vs. them earlier in the year. Haley had her best game of the season to lead us in scoring and also in assists. She had a very solid all around game. Allison had another steady offensive effort and created some havoc defensively with six steals. Our bench was very significant in the outcome of the game. We were struggling and behind early in the first half and they came in and really turned the tide of the game. They stepped things up defensively and helped us swing momentum and get the lead back. Leading the "sixth man" charge was Kyah and Kayla. Kyah played well on both ends and Kayla created some easy baskets for us with her aggressive defensive play. We need to continue after the Thanksgiving break with this type of offensive efficiency.

Scoring: Kate Helgeson 16, Allison Scherr 11, Lyndi Anderson 9, Haley Mindt, 8, Kacie Beattie 6, Ashley Fossum 4; Kyah LaPlant 3; Marleigh Kuchar 3; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 9, Kate Helgeson 6, Lyndi Anderson 5; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 3; Kate Helgeson 2, Kacie Beattie 2; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 4; Blocked Shots Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2, Allison Scherr 2

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We ran into a very dominate player and a good team in the Swoosh. A 37 point and seven steal effort by Uzo Assagwara was difficult to overcome. We played well early and jumped out to a 15-5 lead and had a 25-18 lead with six minutes left in the first half. Asasgwara took over and momentum changed. We got down 10 early in the second half but battled back to cut the lead to three and had the ball with less than eight minutes left. We missed our shot, they came down and Stacey Matsumoto nailed a three to put the Swoosh lead back to six. We turned the ball over on our possession and Asasgwara converted on a four point play. We were not able to get back in the game after that Swoosh run. In spite of the loss I was pleased with our play in many areas. I thought defensively we played better then the final score indicated. They just made plays and hit a number of tough, challenged shots. We got some good looks vs. their zone early in the game by finding the open player. We did a decent job of entering the ball into the post in the second half and we got some good production when we did. We cut down our turnovers in the second half committing only six. Kate had a nice game in the post and shot well from the free throw line, going 10-12. Marleigh had another good rebounding effort while Allison and Lyndi shot the ball well. It was another step in us learning to be the type of college team we hope to be at season's end.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 9, Lyndi Anderson 8, Allyssa Smith 8, Haley Mindt, 8, Marleigh Kuchar 7, Kacie Beattie 5, Kyah LaPlant 3; Kate Helgeson 2; Rebounding Leaders: Allison Scherr 11; Allyssa Smith 8, Marleigh Kuchar 6; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2, Kyah LaPlant 2, Allyssa Smith 2, Kate Helgeson 2; Steals Leaders: Allyssa Smith 2, Kyah LaPlant 2, Allison Scherr 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We struggled quite a bit offensively in a tough, physical basketball game. The Pioneers did a nice job of keeping the game played in the paint. They have the size and physicality to play that type of game. We had a poor night shooting the ball and the shooting percentages pretty much tell the story of the game. We were pleased with the low number of turnovers we committed but not happy about the free throw attempt difference. We need to be more aggressive in attacking the basket. We did have a three point lead with eight minutes left in the game but the Pioneers made more plays down the stretch then we did. We had our chances and that's always what you hope for in the latter part of the game. Allyssa played well for us defensively and led us on that end of the court. Offensively we had balance, but no one in double figures. Lyndi and Marleigh led us in shooting efficiency for the night.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 19, Haley Mindt 12, Allyssa Smith 11, Marleigh Kuchar 8, Lyndi Anderson 4, Kyah LaPlant 4, Kacie Beattie 4, Kate Helgeson 2,; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 19; Kate Helgeson 13; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 4, Marleigh Kuchar 4, Haley Mindt 3; Allison Scherr 3; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 2; Allison Scherr 2, Kate Helgeson 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kate Helgeson 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We were very pleased with our victory and with good play in a number of areas. We played pretty solid team defense, especially in the second half. Kate had a great game on the defensive end and looks like she can be a real factor for the Jacks. We had an outstanding rebounding effort and that, along with some good free throw shooting, was undoubtedly the key to the game. Marleigh led us on the boards with probably her best game in a Ladyjack uniform. Kate was also tough on the boards. Allison had an excellent all around game and a very good three days in the tournament. Allison, Allyssa, and Haley had very efficient offensive efforts. We made a number of key plays down the stretch that winning teams need to make. Our ball handling errors are decreasing and that's a good sign. The three days were a valuable, learning experience for the team. I believe winning the final game will be a confidence booster that we can build on.

Scoring: Allison Scherr 15, Allyssa Smith 12, Kyah LaPlant 6, Marleigh Kuchar 5, Lyndi Anderson 5, Kate Helgeson 4, Karly Brummond 3, Ashley Fossum 2, Keysha Jansen 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 7, Allyssa Smith 6, Kate Helgeson 5; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 5, Haley Mindt 3; Steals Leaders: Haley Mindt 3, Allison Scherr 2, Marleigh Kuchar 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: None

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We ran into a hot shooting T-Birds team tonight. Their quickness and the pace of the game created problems for us. In spite of the defeat I was very proud of the effort by our ladies. We fell behind by 15 very early in the game but battled back to cut it to one late in the first half. Lyndi had another very good game defensively. Allison and Allyssa had very efficient games offensively to lead us in that area. We still need to take better care of the basketball but I believe that will improve with more practice and game time.

Scoring: Haley Mindt, 15, Lyndi Anderson 9, Allison Scherr 9, Allyssa Smith 8, Kyah LaPlant 3; Marleigh Kuchar 2, Ashley Fossum 1; Rebounding Leaders: Allison Scherr 10; Marleigh Kuchar 9, Haley Mindt 7; Assist Leaders: Allison Scherr 4, Lyndi Anderson 3; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 4; Blocked Shots Leaders: Allison Scherr 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We played a pretty good 30 minutes vs. a very solid team. We led by six with about 10 minutes remaining but couldn't hold on. We played very well defensively and Haley was hot shooting the three ball, going five for eight from deep. Lyndi did a nice job defensively on their top perimeter player and that was a key to keeping us in the game. We did struggle with our floor game committing 34 turnovers. That's an area that needs to be cleaned up for us to have the success we seeking.

Scoring: Allyssa Smith 18, Allison Scherr 17, Kacie Beattie 8, Lyndi Anderson 8, Haley Mindt 6, Marleigh Kuchar 5, Kate Helgeson 2; Rebounding Leaders: Kate Helgeson 12, Allyssa Smith 8, Marleigh Kuchar 8; Assist Leaders: Haley Mindt 5, Lyndi Anderson 4; Steals Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 4, Marleigh Kuchar 3, Allison Scherr 3; Blocked Shots Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: This game was very similar to our first game. We had a pretty good first half and then struggled some in the second half. Everyone played in the first half and we executed fairly well. The second half we had some stretches in which we got out of control and played at a speed we are not yet ready to perform successfully. However we did a good job of regrouping and running our offense later in the half to secure the win. Defensively we played pretty well in the first half but we had too many breakdowns later in the game. I'm not sure we are in basketball shape yet and fatigue may have been a factor. It was good to see Kate's rebounding effort as we will need that to continue. Marleigh and Allyssa were again steady in the rebound department. Allyssa and Allison had very efficient offensive games and really led us offensively. It was a good start to the season as we learned a lot and came out with two victories.

Scoring: Kate Helgeson 15, Kacie Beattie 12, Haley Mindt 11, Allison Scherr 9, Allyssa Smith 7, Karly Brummond 6, Lyndi Anderson 4, Kyah LaPlant 4, Marleigh Kuchar 2, Kara Davis 2; Rebounding Leaders: Marleigh Kuchar 10, Allyssa Smith 7, Kyah LaPlant 7, Kate Helgeson 6, Allison Scherr 6; Assist Leaders: Lyndi Anderson 10, Ashley Fossum 3; Steals Leaders: Kayla Kubik 2, Allison Scherr 2, Haley Mindt 2; Blocked Shots Leaders: Kacie Beattie 2, Allyssa Smith 1, Kate Helgeson 1

Team Stats:

Coach Johnson's Comments: We were very happy with our play in the first half. We played together pretty well considering the limited number of practices we have had as a full team. CMU really picked up their play in the second half and we didn't respond as well as we would like. We had some excellent play defensively from Lyndi, Allison, and Kayla rotating on the Blazer's top player. That was a key to our overall success in this game. Marleigh did a great job on the boards in limited minutes. Kate had an outstanding game in the post while Kacie and Haley provided some good perimeter fire power. Lyndi had an outstanding floor game with 10 assists and only 2 turnovers. Overall it was an excellent start to the season.