By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

Published: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 7:33 AM CST

PARK HILLS — Scoring only six baskets in the first half, the Mineral Area College Lady Cardinals looked to be the first victim of the Southwestern Illinois Blue Storm, but a solid defensive effort kept them in the game.

Their defense elevated to a different level in half two and the Lady Cardinals (2-1) came from behind to mount a substantial lead that allowed them to outlast a late Blue Storm rally and claim a 47-45 win.  

SWIC was able to work the ball inside to their post player 6’0” Lauren Timmerman, and Timmerman was also a force on the other end, causing MAC to try perimeter shots which were not falling in the first minutes of the game.

Kayla Tisza scored the Lady Cardinals’ first basket with four minutes already gone off the clock. Serena Grapperhaus answered the basket with a three to give the Blue Storm an 8-2 advantage.

Another three minutes would disappear off the scoreboard before Hanna Vette made MAC’s second basket. The Lady Cardinals were 6-20 from the floor in the first half.

The Blue Storm took a 14-5 lead at the 10 minute mark as Alexandria Dotson assisted Timmerman with scoring in the key. SWIC would go up by 10 before MAC’s Taylor Jensen made three consecutive free throws to cut the lead to seven.

Along with their defense, Mineral Area’s free throw shooting kept them in the game by making eight of their last nine attempts, and they trailed only by seven at the half, 28-21. 

The Lady Cardinals picked up their intensity on defense with Jensen creating havoc for each point guard SWIC put on the floor. SWIC’s defense was also strong to star the second half as both teams scored only two points in the first four minutes. Jensen drew the fourth foul from SWIC’s point guard with her pestering defense, and yet Jensen picked up her only foul in the final minute of the game. 

Sonya Milford made two straight baskets to help cut the lead to three, and it started a takeover of the game for the Lady Cardinals. A quick steal by Vette set up a pass around the key and a tying three from Emily Brumitt to make the score 30-30.

Vette would haul in an offensive board and upon driving into the lane, she would score two and convert a conventional three for MAC’s first lead with 12:20 left to go. Gail Williams added two more points to the lead, and the Lady Cardinals looked to be flying away with the game.

MAC’s defense allowed only one basket by the Blue Storm in the first 12 minutes of the half, while going on a 21-4 run. They would gain a 13-point lead at 46-33, before SWIC finally recovered from their second-half slump with 8:13 left.

A conventional three by Dotson and a three-pointer from Grapperhaus cut the lead in half, and MAC coach Gary Koch called for time to settle his team down. SWIC answered the time-out with a trap that resulted in a MAC turnover.

Turnovers were virtually even in the first half (13-12), but in the second half the Lady Cardinals had only seven to SWIC’s 12.

The Blue Storm closed the gap to three points on a putback by Hillary Johnson. MAC’s scoring dried up in the last eight minutes of play and SWIC went on an 12-1 run of their own.

A missed shot with 20 second left gave the Blue Storm a chance to tie the game with a three, but instead they drove the lane, hoping to draw a foul on the shot. The shot missed and Jensen, who had made the defensive stop, came down with the rebound and was quickly fouled.

Jensen sank one of the free throws to make it a four-point game, and a late basket by the Blue Storm produced the final score.

 Mineral Area was 10-24 from the floor in the second half for 16-44 in the game and was 3-7 on three-pointers. SWIC shot 13-38 from the floor and was 5-13 on threes.

Mineral Area will play again on November 20 at the Kirkwood Iowa Classic.

SW Illinois  28  17 - 45

Mineral Area  21 26 - 47

Scoring:

SWIC - Dotson 16, Grapperhaus 10, Timmerman 6, Smith 4, Hackman 4, Hood 3, Johnson 2.  3-pt. - Grapperhaus 3, Dotson,  Hood.

MAC - Brummitt 10, Evans 9, Vette 7, Oertel 6, Jensen 6, Milford 4, Tisza 2, Williams 2, Barnes 1. 3-pt.  - Brummitt 2, Evans.