February 1, 2019
Photos credit by Karen Giles
MADISON, S.D. – Mayville State (N.D.) and Dakota State (S.D.) battled in a closely-tight first quarter Friday evening in the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference contest at DSU Fieldhouse. The Comets used a 50-21 outburst from second through third quarters, rolling to an 82-55 victory over the Lady T's. It was the first annual Ag Ball game for Dakota State.
The Lady T's dropped their overall record to 3-20 and fell in a two-way tie for seventh-place with Viterbo (Wis.). The V-Hawks held on to defeat Dickinson State (N.D.) 59-57 Friday evening, posting a 2-8 conference record. Mayville State raised their overall record to 14-6 and moved in a two-way tie for first place with Bellevue (Neb.) with an 8-2 league record (BU defeated Valley City State, N.D. 69-58 Friday).
DSU scored its first six points of the game from three different scorers – Jessi Giles, Alexis Robson and Taylor Volesky – for a 6-0 lead with eight minutes and fifty-five seconds on the clock. MSU ended their scoring drought with a basket by Taylor Shamp (assisted by Cyan Hale) with 8:33 left in the first period.
A 3-pointer by Giles (assisted by Robson) gave Dakota State its' biggest lead of the first-period at 11-4 with 7:25 to go in the first.
The Comets would answered back with a 7-0 scoring surge to knot the game at 11-11 with 4:45 in the first period.
Joelle Ertl drained a 3-pointer with just less than 10 seconds left, giving Mayville State a slim 16-15 lead after the first quarter stop.
MSU shot 50 percent from the field (7-of-14) in the first ten minutes of the game compared to DSU 43.8 percent (7-of-16).
After trading leads twice early in the second quarter, the Comets went on a 23-4 scoring tear in the final 8:59 to earn a 42-24 halftime lead. Mayville State shot 9-of-15 from the field in the second period, including 6-of-10 from the 3-point line. Dakota State was held to 4-of-15 field goals and 1-of-8 3-pointers.
The Comets maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game to secure the victory. MSU outscored DSU 24-12 in the third period, thanks to their 50 percent shooting from the field (7-of-14) and 5-of-10 from the 3-point arc. The Lady T's were 5-of-15 from the field and 2-of-6 3-pointers in the third quarter.
Dakota State outscored Mayville State 19-16 in the final period.
Volesky led the Lady T's with 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. She was 6-of-10 from the field. Volesky stole the ball three times and registered a block. Giles added 11 points. McKenzie Hermanson scored 10 points off the bench and contributed four assists. She also had three steals.
Ashlyn Macdonald collected six rebounds for DSU. Giles had three assists.
Ertl poured in a game-high 24 points on her 8-of-14 field goals, including 6-of-9 from the 3-point line. Hale and Claire Blascziek each added 11 points. Taylor Skjordal scored nine points off the bench. Kylee Heurung had eight points and eight rebounds.
Blascziek dished out five assists for the Comets. Andrea Skillingstad had two blocks.
Mayville State shot a sizzling 52.7 percent from the field, converting 29-of-55 field goals. The Comets drained 17 3-pointers in 34 tries (50 percent) and went 7-of-8 at the free-throw line.
Dakota State was held to 37.1 field goal percentage, making 23 field goals in 62 attempts. The Lady T's were 7-of-27 3-pointers (25.9 percent) and struggled at the free-throw line by going 2-of-7 (28.6 percent).
MSU outrebounded DSU 43-26. Both teams scored 18 points inside the paint.
Dakota State plays its final home regular-season contest at DSU Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon. The Lady T's host Valley City State with a tip-off at 3 p.m. There will be a senior ceremony after the conclusion of the game, honoring its lone senior on the team Kelley Criddle.
Mayville State travels south to take on Bellevue in the battle for sole possession for first-place in the North Star women's basketball conference. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Gordon Lozier Center in Bellevue, Neb.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
