November 3, 2015

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa –  Trailing by two points (41-39) by halftime Tuesday evening at DeWitt Gymnasium, Dakota State (S.D.) used a third-quarter surge to defeat Dordt (Iowa) by the score of 84-75 non-conference victory.  It was the first road victory of the season for the Lady T's.

DSU improved their overall record to 2-1, while DC dropped to 0-2.

The Defenders opened up the game by scoring five straight points for a 5-0 lead with eight minutes and twenty-three seconds left in the first quarter.  The Lady T's answered back with an 8-2 scoring spurt to gain their first lead of the game 8-7 with less than four minutes left in the opening quarter.

Dordt went on to hold a six-point first-quarter lead at 25-19.  DC shot 44.4 percent from the field in the opening quarter (8-of-18) while DSU was held to 26.7 percent shooting (4-of-15).

Down by six points at 32-26, the Lady T's used a 9-3 scoring run to knot the game at 35-35 with 2:12 remaining before halftime. 

With DSU leading by one point, Paige Engbers drained a 3-pointer with less than five seconds left as Dordt grabbed a 41-39 halftime lead.

Dakota State stormed to the biggest lead of the game at 70-52 after using a 31-11 scoring outburst.

The Defenders could not get no closer than six points at 80-74 with 32 seconds left in the game.  The Lady T's secured the game, thanks to four free-throws made by Courtney Hulstein in the final 24 seconds of the game.

Five DSU Lady T's players scored in double-digits, led by Hulstein with 18 points.  She was 5-of-9 from the field, including draining 4 3-pointers and made all four free-throw attempts.  Kelsey Little added 17 points off from the bench (4-for-7 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line). 

BreeAna Olson poured in 15 points on her 7-for-18 shooting from the field for Dakota State.  Madison Waldorf and Kennedy Wagner each added 10 points.

Olson dished out a game-high six assists for the Lady T's.  She had four steals.  Kendra Lindblad added three assists.

Sharee Galbraith pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds and scored eight points for DSU.  Walford had eight rebounds.

Engbers scored 15 points off the bench, nailing down all five 3-pointers for the Defenders.  Kim Kroeze and Cassidy Vredevoogd each had 12 points.

Abby Chapman and Mycah Hulst each earned seven boards for Dordt.  Chapman had four assists.

Alissa Pollema and Engbers each stole the ball three times for DC.

Dakota State shot 40.9 percent overall from the field (27-of-66) compared to Dordt 39.7 percent (23-of-58).  The Defenders were 9-of-24 from the 3-point line (37.5 percent) while the Lady T's were 7-of-15 (46.7 percent).

DSU went to the free-throw line 33 times, making 23 free-throws (69.7 percent).  DC was 20-of-29 free-throws.

The Lady T's outrebounded the Defenders 44-39. 

Dakota State returns back to Sioux Center, Iowa again this weekend as they play in the Holiday Inn Express Classic.  The Lady T's play Graceland (Iowa) on Friday evening at 6 p.m. and conclude the classic with a match-up versus Northwest (Wash.) at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director