The top-ranked Dordt University women's basketball team used an early second half run to pull away and defeat No.20 Oregon Tech 79-61 in the Defenders season opener and a match-up between top 25 teams played today at the De Witt Gymnasium.
Dordt begins its season with a 1-0 record heading into the Pizza Ranch Classic next weekend in Orange City, Iowa. The Lady Owls drop to 0-2 this season.
Willow Bleeker scored all of her game-high 18 points from beyond the arc, making 6-of-7 shots from long range, to lead a balanced Defenders scoring effort. Returning NAIA All-American guard
Macy Sievers contributed 15 points and six assists while both Olivia Harzazin and
Janie Van Donge scored in double figures as well with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Van Donge pulled down 10 rebounds for the 18th double-double of her career.
How It Happened:
- Dordt trailed for the entirety of the first quarter as the visiting Lady Owls shot 53% (9/17) from the field compared to 39% by the Defenders (7/18)
- trailing 21-19 at the end of the first quarter, Macy Sievers drained a three-pointer to give Dordt its first lead, 22-21, at the 8:31 mark of the second period
- the teams alternated baskets over the next six minutes as the lead traded hands six times
- down 33-32, Dordt scored the final four points of the half on a pair of free throws by Van Donge and a jumper by Harazin that got off just before the horn to give the hosts a 36-33 advantage
- Harazin knocked down a three-pointer at the start of the third quarter to spark a 13-1 Defenders run to push the lead to 49-34 with 6:20 left in the third quarter; Dordt's defense held the Lady Owls to without a field goal for nearly five minutes
- leading by 10 (58-48) to start the fourth quarter, Dordt scored the first seven points of the final period to put the game away
- Sievers connected on a pair of free throws followed by a lay-up from Brooke Smith and a Bleeker three-pointer, her fifth of the game
- another Dordt three-pointer, this time from Smith, put the hosts up by 18 with 5:33 left in the contest and Dordt's largest lead (76-56) occurred moments later after a free throw by Harazin
By the Numbers:
- Dordt shot 60% in the second half, 48% for the game, and made 10/21 of its 3-point attempts (48%)
- the Defenders held a huge advantage, 50-34, on the glass
- after shooting 53% in the first quarter, Oregon Tech finished at 36% for the game and made just 1/13 3-point attempts
- Bleeker (18pts), Harazin (14pts) and Ellie Lems (9pts) all recorded career-highs
- Lems (10 rebounds) and Desta Hoogendoorn (11 rebounds) joined Van Donge in double figures
- Gabbie Gascon and Jozie Ramos led the Lady Owls with 14 points each
Defender Notes:
- Sievers scored in double figures for the 32nd time in her career
- Van Donge recorded her 18th double-double for her career; scored in double figures for the 65th time
