Skylights split with DSU and Minot
Monday, Nov. 6
Chris Peterson
Havre Daily News
cpeterson@havredailynews.com
It was a
bittersweet weekend for the Montana State University-Northern women’s
basketball team after the Skylights split a pair of nonconference home games
with
Friday night, the Skylights hosted DSU and, despite struggling with turnovers for much of the game, held on for a 72-58 victory.
“We definitely turned the ball over way too much, especially in the first half,” MSU-N head coach Chris Mouat said. “But we found a way to make enough plays in the second half to find a way to get the win.”
MSU-N and DSU traded the lead back and forth early on before the Blue Hawks took the lead 9-7 on a basket by Andrea Staley. The Blue Hawks held the lead for most of the first half, leading by as many as seven at 30-23.
However, Northern regained the lead just before halftime with a 10-0 run, capped off when DeLayne Johnston got a bucket plus the foul to give the Skylights a 33-30 halftime lead.
The Blue Hawks cut the deficit to eight points at 57-49, but the Skylights put together one last run to put the game away. They ripped off an 11-2 run to give them a 68-51 lead, sealing the victory.
Chelsie Searle connected on three 3-pointers on her way to a team-high 17 points to lead MSU-N in the win. Johnston also put together a solid effort for Northern, notching a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
“DeLayne played really well,” Mouat said. “We did a good job of getting her the basketball and she was able to convert. She also played well on defense and did a nice job on the boards.”
Ashley Bakich had 13 points to lead the way for the Blue Hawks. Dana Johnson added 11 points.
On Saturday night, MSU-N hosted Minot State in a battle of NAIA national tournament teams from a year ago.
The two teams battled back and forth in the first half, with Minot State going into the intermission with a 29-25 lead.
The game was still in doubt late in the second half, but Northern just couldn’t find an answer for Minot’s Kendra Meyer, who scored some critical baskets late in the game to help lead Minot State to the 66-54 road win.
Northern struggled all game from the field shooting only 34 percent, including a disastrous 1-for-16 effort from the 3-point line.
“We got out rebounded at crucial times and we continued to turn the ball over way too much,” Mouat said. “The game was still up for grabs in the final five minutes, but we just didn’t make any shots when we needed to. Kendra Meyer just tore us up late in the game. We had no answer for her and that is disappointing.”
Johnston was the lone constant for the Skylights on offense with a game-high 22 points. Jayla McPherson was the only other Skylight to score in double figures, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds.
Meyer put up 17 points in the win for the Beavers. Arrita Oler also added 13 points and nine rebounds in the win.
“We have got to play a lot better than we did tonight,” Mouat said. “Give credit to Minot State. They are a good basketball team and they did a good job of executing when they had to. We have got a long way to go, but so does everyone else.”
The Skylights (4-2) will be back in action when they travel to DSU and Minot this weekend.
Skylights 72, Blue Hawks 58
DSU — Dana Johnson 4-12 2-2 11, Brittany Mesa 1-8 0-2 3, LaDonna Downs 1-7 1-5 3, Hennessy Rodriguez 4-5 2-2 10, Ashley Bakich 5-6 1-3 13, Ashlee Viveros 0-4 0-0 0, Brittni Pladson 1-3 2-2 4, Elise Doughton 1-2 1-1 3, Denise Williams 1-3 0-2 2, Andrea Staley 3-9 2-2 9. Totals: 21-59 11-21.
MSU-N — Chelsie Searle 6-7 2-2 17, Becky Sorenson 1-6 4-7 7, DeLayne Johnston 5-10 6-8 16, Jena Heggem 3-9 3-5 10, Michele Van Dyke 2-6 2-2 6, Kylee Starr 1-1 2-2 4, Amanda Hovey 0-2 0-0 0, Amanda Quartuccio 1-2 0-0 2, Jayla McPherson 2-2 0-0 4, Ashley Trulock 2-7 0-2 4. Totals: 23-52 21-30.
Beaver 66, Skylights 54
MSU — Brittni Walker 4-8 0-0 8, Jenny Castro 3-8 1-2 7, Tayler McQuilliams 1-1 3-4 6, Arrita Oler 6-15 0-0 13, Kendra Meyer 7-15 2-2 17, Sam Medcalf 3-4 0-0 8, Tashara Simpson 0-1 1-2 1, Hillary DeMers 0-1 2-2 2, K. Ramirez 2-3 0-0 4. Totals: 26-60 9-12 66.
MSU-N — Chelsie Searle 0-5 2-2 2, Becky Sorenson 1-7 0-0 3, DeLayne Johnston 7-13 8-9 22, Jena Heggem 1-6 5-5 7, Michele VanDyke 1-6 1-2 3, Amanda Hovey 2-5 0-0 4, Jayla McPherson 1-2 0-0 2, Ashley Trulock 4-6 3-4 11. Totals: 17-50 19-22.