February 1, 2020

Photos credit by Waldorf (Iowa) Sports Information

FOREST CITY, Iowa – The red-hot Dakota State (S.D.) Trojan women's basketball team continues its winning ways, ballooning their winning streak to six games after an 84-74 North Star Athletic Association conference victory over Waldorf (Iowa) Saturday afternoon at Hanson Fieldhouse.

The six-game winning streak by DSU is a first since the 2006-07 season where their squad won seven straight games.  The Trojans moved to .500 with an overall record of 12-12 and raised their NSAA record to 6-3. 

Waldorf fell to 3-18 overall record after their sixth straight defeat.  The Warriors dropped their league record to 1-8.

Dakota State stays on the road as they visit Presentation (S.D.) for the second time in 10 days on Friday.  The North Star contest tips off at 5:30 p.m. at Strode Center in Aberdeen. 

Dakota State (S.D.) 84, Waldorf (Iowa) 74 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Waldorf went through three ties and two lead changes in the first two minutes and nineteen seconds of the game.
• Down 7-4, the Trojans exploded for 13 straight points in span of two-and-half minutes to grab their first double-digit lead of the game.  Courtney Menning stole the ball an made a basket to give DSU a 17-7 lead with 4:33 left in the first period.
• The Trojans held a 19-11 lead by the end of the first quarter, thanks to their blazing 53.3 percent shooting from the field (8-of-15 field goals).  The Warriors were held to 5-of-15 field goals (5-of-15 field goals).
• DSU maintained control throughout the second period, outscoring WU 25-19.  Olivia Breske made a basket with 30 seconds to go before halftime, giving the Trojans a 44-30 lead.
• Dakota State shot a sizzling 54.5 percent from the field in the first half (18-of-33 field goals) compared to Waldorf 41.9 percent (13-of-31 field goals).
• The Trojans ballooned their lead to 16 points on two different occasions after back-to-back-back baskets by Morgan Koepsell, leading 46-30 with 9:43 on the clock,48-32 with 9:12 left and 50-34 with 8:33 remaining in the third quarter.
• Waldorf then went on a 17-7 scoring tear, capped by back-to-back baskets by Tina Lair-VanMeter as they cut DSU's lead to 53-47 with 5:51 left in the third.
• Riley Peters drained a 3-pointer with few seconds before the time expired in the third quarter, extending DSU's lead to 66-55.
• Waldorf outscored Dakota State 25-22 in a high-scoring third period.
• Dakota State kicked off the fourth quarter with a 10-3 scoring run to record the largest lead of the game at 76-59 after a 3-pointer by Peters with 6:42 remaining.
• The Trojans maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game, securing the victory.
• Waldorf shot 54.8 percent from the field (17-of-31 field goals), while Dakota State was 50 percent from the field (16-of-32 field goals).
• Four Trojan players scored in double-digits, led by Peters with a season-high 18 points off the bench.  She was 6-of-13 from the 3-point arc.  Savannah Walsdorf added 17 points (6-of-7 field goals, 2-of-2 3-pointers and 3-of-4 free-throws).
• Koepsell and Jessi Giles each added 13 points for DSU.  Koepsell was 6-of-10 from the field, while Giles was 6-of-9 field goals.  Menning and Breske each had six points.
• Sidney Fick contributed six assists for Dakota State.  Walsodrf grabbed eight rebounds.  Koepsell and Breske each had five rebounds.  Breske stole the ball four times.
• Lair-VanMeter was perfect from the field, making 12-of-12 field goals and converted both free-throws for a game-high 26 points for Waldorf.  She also had eight rebounds, three blocks and four steals.  Nichole Oberthien added 16 points and dished out eight assists.
• Ashley Schindele scored 14 points off the bench for the Warriors.  Kylie Willems had 10 points
• Dakota State shot 52.3 percent overall from the field (34-of-65 field goals) compared to Waldorf 48.4 percent (30-of-62 field goals).  The Trojans were 11-of-26 from the 3-point arc, while the Warriors were 10-of-24 3-pointers.
• DSU outrebounded WU 33-30 in the game.  The Trojans outscored the Warriors 44-28 inside the paint and 34-14 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director