Nov. 30, 2011 - The women's basketball teams of Concordia Cougars and Dominican Stars engaged each other this evening in a classic rivalry game, the first of two this season. The two River Forest schools needed two overtimes to settle this one before Dominican's clutch free throw shooting decided the issue by a score of 84-79.
This game was one where momentum was a roller coaster ride. The Cougars had the first extended run early in the game
. Krystyna Rickett's (Sandusky, MI/H.S.) two free throws snapped a 5-5 tie and triggered a 9-0 run. Rickett provided seven of the nine points as she added a three and a jumper in the lane.
The Cougars carried the momentum a little longer until a putback by
April Broska (New Boston, MI/Lutheran South) made the score 22-9 at the midway point of the half. Dominican then got off the mat and scored 12 consecutive points over a span of eight minutes. A pair of three-point plays by Kayla Blom and Ashley Oliver contributed to the Stars' answering run.
Dominican eventually took a 25-24 lead with a minute remaining on consecutive baskets by Kaylee Paciora, but
Kassy Koehler (Belvidere, IL/Rockford Lutheran) converted a feed from
Sara Stelzer (Selden, NY/Our Savior New American) to beat the buzzer and give the Cougars a slim one-point lead at the half.
Rickett scored the opening two points of the second half, but the Stars went off on an 11-1 run behind five points from Sarah Budz and one of seven threes on the night by Blom.
A jumper by Blom made the score 40-34 with 14 minutes left but, just as it seemed as the game might be slipping away from the Cougars, the home team rallied to score 14 straight points. Threes by Rickett and
Claire Mackey (Shelton, NE/Heartland Lutheran) highlighted the run, and a free throw by Stelzer put Concordia up 48-40 with 10 minutes to go.
As quickly as the Cougars made their run, the Stars answered with an 18-6 run. Blom hit a pair of threes during the run, one to begin it and the second to give Dominican the lead at 56-54. Budz then added a layup on the fast break to make it a four-point game.
Dominican held the lead until the final minutes of regulation. Concordia forced the overtime by scoring the final six points. Koehler's layup and Rickett's jumper pulled the Cougars within two, and Koehler's layup off a pretty pass from Mackey tied the game with 20 seconds left.
The lead see-sawed through the first overtime period. A free throw by Laura Knieps with 17 seconds left put Dominican up by two, but Rickett's driving layup with four ticks left tied the game at 67-67 and forced the second five-minute period.
After the first overtime in which both teams had missed clutch free throws, the Stars came up big from the line in the second overtime. In particular, Knieps made all eight of her free throws and finished the game 14 of 16 as part of her 18 points. Knieps final two free throws held off the Cougars' final rally as Broska's three with 11 seconds left had pulled the Cougars within three.
Blom finished with a game-high 31 points (10-25 FG, 7-15 3FG, 4-6 FT) and also pulled down eight recbounds. Knieps had 11 rebounds to go with her 18 points, and Sarah Budz added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Rickett scored 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds before fouling out (one of four Cougars to do so). Koehler scored 13 points and collected six boards, and Broska notched a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
The Cougars (1-4, 0-2 NAC) return to action Saturday afternoon when they host Edgewood College.
