The Dordt University women's basketball team used a big second half to pull away and defeat Trinity Christian (Ill.) 82-69 in its first game of the Northwestern Pizza Ranch Classic played this afternoon in Orange City, Iowa.
The Defenders stay unbeaten and improve to 4-0 heading into Saturday's match-up against Dickinson State.
Karly Gustafson led the Defenders with 25 points as the senior missed just four shots (11/15) from the field.
Bailey Beckman joined Gustafson in double figures with 18 points while
Janie Schoonhoven recorded her first double-double of the season, third of her career, with 11 points and a career-best 13 rebounds.
Tied at 36 at halftime, the Defenders outscored Trinity Christian 25-18 in the third quarter, led by the duo of Gustafson and Beckman, who combined for 14 points in the period. A three-point game (46-43), Dordt outscored the Trolls 7-0 with baskets from Gustafson and
Eliana Kuperus along with a three-pointer by Beckman to take its largest lead, 53-43, in the third. The Defenders lead was seven, 61-54, by quarters end.
A three-pointer from Katarina Savic at the beginning of the fourth quarter trimmed the Dordt lead down to four and Trinity Christian would get as close as three (67-64) with 6:19 left to go. The Defenders, however, responded with a 7-0 run to pull away from Trinity Christian, spear-headed by a three-point play from Gustafson, followed by another basket by Gustafson and a lay-up by
Macy Sievers with 4:32 remaining. Later, a three-point by Beckman pushed the Defenders lead to 11 (77-66) with three minutes left to go and secured the win.
Dordt started the game off strong as they outscored the Trolls 8-2 capped by a Gustafson three-point play with 6:30 left in the opening quarter. The Defenders extended their lead to 10 (13-3) moments later only to have Trinity Christian close the quarter on an 8-2 run to cut the Dordt lead to 17-15.
A lay-up by Destiny Goodwin gave the Trolls their first lead, 21-20, moments into the second quarter. The teams traded baskets over the next 3-4 minutes until consecutive buckts from Savic and Laila McNeal gave Trinity Christian its largest lead, 36-31, with two minutes left to play in the first half. Macy Nielson answered with a three-pointer and following a defensive stop, Gustafson scored on a basket in the paint to tie the game at 36 by halftime.
By the Numbers...
- Dordt continued to shoot well this season, going 52% from the field,
- the Defenders made 7-of-17 three-point attempts (41%) compared to 13% by Trinity Christian (2/15)
- Dordt had the advantage on the boards 44-31
- Gustafson, Beckman and Schoonhoven have scored in double figures in every game this season
- Macy Nielson scored all nine of her points from beyond the arc, making good on 3 of her 4 three-point attempts
- turnovers kept Trinity Christian close as they forced Dordt into a season-high 24 for the game
- Savic netted a game-high 27 points and Laila McNeal contributed 20, the only Trinity Christian players to score in double figures
