Dec. 29, 2011 - On a day when the Concordia Cougars' top scorers were held in check, head coach Joshua Steffen's team was boosted by a pair of career-high scoring efforts from freshman Kassy Koehler (Belvidere, IL/Rockford Lutheran) and senior Cristina Calabrese (Schiller Park, IL/East Leyden). The pair combined for 43 points in leading the Cougars to a 65-63 win over Olivet College in day two at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando, Florida.
The two teams traded baskets in the opening minutes before Koehler gave Concordia a 12-11 lead with a jumper in the lane. Koehler added a free throw and a three to extend the lead to five. Calabrese then got into the act, hitting a two, a three and two free throws to put the Cougars up 23-16.
The Comets rallied back but, with the Cougars' lead down to one point, Koehler rebounded a missed throw and laid the ball in. The 5'10" freshman would score Concordia's final 11 points of the half including a late three. The Cougars led 35-31 at the break with Koehler tallying 20 points over the first 20 minutes.
"Kassy took advantage of a very favorable matchup and was able to get pretty much whatever shot she wanted," said Steffen. Koehler's contribution was vital as top scorers Krystyna Rickett (Sandusky, MI/H.S.) and Bobbie May (Sandusky, MI/H.S.) were limited to a combined four points on 1-4 from the field in the half. Starting forward April Broska's (New Boston, MI/Lutheran South) output was limited as she played just six minutes due to a couple of early fouls.
Koehler hit a three to open the second half, and May got loose for a run of seven straight points triggered by a three-point play to put Concordia up 45-36. However, Olivet capitalized on foul trouble by the Cougars to come back. The Comets steadiness at the foul line brought them close, and Kelsey Campbell knocked down a three at the 9:29 mark to give Olivet its first lead since the early going at 50-49.
The teams exchanged leads over the next few minutes before Rickett's layup at the 6:18 mark put Concordia in front to stay at 58-57. A turnover led to Koehler's close-in jumper to put the lead at three. The Cougars clung tenaciously to the lead, and Calabrese hit the biggest bucket of the game, a three-pointer with two minutes remaining to make the score Concordia 65, Olivet 61.
Concordia was not out of the woods yet. Campbell reduced the lead to two with a pair of free throws at 1:02 remaining. The Cougars then missed a shot, giving the Comets a chance to tie or take the lead in the final seconds. Campbell missed a three, but Olivet's Heather Lauwers captured the offensive rebound and was fouled with four seconds left. It aooeared as if the game might head into overtime as Olivet had hit on 12 of 13 free throws in the second half. However, Lauwers missed both tosses with Kellie Murphy (Johnsburg, IL/Marian Central Catholic) grabbing the rebound of the second shot. Murphy was fouled quickly, setting up a one-and-one. Murphy missed the first but grabbed her own rebound, and the Cougars were able to run out the final few seconds.
Koehler's 25 points came on 9-11 from the field (5-7 from three-point range) and 2-3 at the line; she also collected six rebounds and two steals in earning a place on the all-tournament team. Calabrese's 18 came on 7-17 from the field (2-6 from three-point range) and 2-2 at the line; she added six rebounds and two steals. Rickett and May each finished with nine points.
Melissa Bageris and Rachael Wagner topped the Comets' scoring with 13 poimts each, followed by Campbell with 11. Lauwers pulled down 12 rebounds in helping Olvet to a 39-30 advantage on the boards.
In day one of the tournament, the Cougars faced the 17th-ranked Flying Dutch of Hope College who entered the game with a 10-1 record. While the Cougars put forth a strong defensive effort,, Hope's timely outside shooting ultimately decided the game by a 68-54 margin.
A three by Broska
and free throw by May
gave Concordia an early 4-0 lead. But Liz Ellis ignited Hope's offense with a three and later popped in a second from long range to give Hope the lead at 8-7. Hope extended its lead to 13-9 before
Melissa Schwab (Elmhurst, IL/York Community) hit from behind the arc to make it a one-point game at 13-12.
Concordia would then hit a dry stretch after Schwab's bucket. The Flying Dutch outscored the Cougars 15-3 over the next eight minutes with Rickett's three providing Concordia's only points in that span. Rickett ended Hope's run with a second three and later hit a two to bring the Cougars within seven, but Ellis and Maddie Burnett hit late threes to boost Hope's lead to 15 points, 40-25 at the half.
The Dutch connected on six of their 13 threes for the half with Ellis making good on four of five. Hope shot 43 percent overall on 13 of 30 while Concordia shot 27 percent on 9-33.
The second half began with Hope maintaining a lead in the mid-teens over the first few minutes, but Concordia made one more run behind Calabrese. Trailing 44-27, Calabrese scored 10 of the Cougars' next 11 points, and her three at the 11:58 mark brought Concordia back within 49-40. However, the Cougars managed just one field goal over the next seven points which enabled the Dutch to maintain a safe lead down the stretch.
Calabrese led Concordia with 16 points, 13 in the second half. Rickett and Broska were also in double figures with 10 points each. Ellis led Hope with 17 points while Burnett and Rebekah Llorens each added 13.
Concordia finishes the 2011 portion of the schedule with a 4-7 record after sitting at 1-5 back on Dec. 3. The Cougars will return home and host Alverno College in Northern Athletics Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 7.
