The Dordt Defender women's basketball team advanced to the GPAC Championship game for the third year in a row with an 80-73 win over Hastings on Saturday afternoon in Sioux Center.
Box Score (PDF)
Dordt was helped by hot shooting in the first half and made free throws at the end to fight off the Hastings comeback attempt.
Hastings took an 11-3 lead 2:30 into the game and the Defenders had to rally.
Janie Van Donge got to the free throw line to begin Dordt's comeback and
Gracie Schoonhoven had a basket in the paint to give the hosts some momentum.
Stella Charleston made the first of three first half three-point baskets to get Dordt within 13-10 and Dordt eventually took a 20-18 lead near the end of the period. Hastings had an answer with back to back baskets and led 22-20 after one quarter.
Dordt took its first lead of the second quarter on a three-point basket by
Olivia Harazin and
Gracie Schoonhoven made a basket in the paint for a 35-32 lead. Dordt ended up taking a 43-38 halftime lead after
Desta Hoogendoorn's putback of a missed shot.
The Defenders started the second half fast and had a 52-41 lead after a Schoonhoven basket and Dordt was up 64-52 entering the final period after Hastings had trimmed the lead to two.  It was a Harazin three-point basket that gave Dordt the dozen point lead. Dordt had as much as a 15 point lead in the fourth quarter and was up 71-60 with 3:43 left in the game after a Harazin basket. The Broncos used a physical defense to get the ball back and capitalized and had the lead down to 74-73 after a Bailey Kissinger basket. Kissinger's free throw to tie it was off and Dordt made six free throws in the final :30 to seal the win.
Dordt is 28-2 and will host the GPAC Championship on Tuesday, March 4 against Briar Cliff. Hastings is 23-7 and will await a berth in the NAIA National Championship field.
THE NUMBERS
DORDT | 26-54 FG | 10-18 3PT FG | 18-21 FT | 31 REBS | 24 TO
HASTINGS | 26-65 FG | 6-17 3PT FG | 15-19 FT | 36 REBS | 22 TO
Dordt Leaders
Janie Van Donge | 16 pts | 11 rebs
Olivia Harazin | 12 pts | 3 ast
Ellie Lems | 11 pts
Macy Sievers | 9 pts | 7 rebs | 12 ast
Willow Bleeker | 9 pts | 2 ast
Stella Charleston | 9 pts
Hastings Leaders
Ann Bose | 20 pts
Tathis Arredondo | 11 pts
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