MSOE Downs Cold-Shooting Cougar Women in NAC First-Round

Feb. 22, 2012 - The Concordia Cougar women's basketball team traveled north this evening to take on the Milwaukee School of Engineering in a first-round Northern Athletics Conference Tournament game. The Cougars and Raiders split the first two games, Concordia's win coming just 11 days ago. However, a slow start and an overall bad shooting night were costly to the Cougars, and their season came to an end with the Raiders earning the 59-40 victory.

Early turnovers prevented the Cougars from getting any momentum out of the gate. After Cate Scholfield and Krystyna Rickett (Sandusky, MI/H.S.) exchanged threes to begin the game, the Raiders scored the next five points to gain the upper hand. The Cougars were guilty of seven turnovers over the first 10 minutes as the Raiders built a 15-6 lead.

Melissa Schwab (Elmhurst, IL/York Community), who had a fine three-point shooting game the last time Concordia played at the Kern Center, hit her first shot from three-point range to bring the Cougars within 15-9, but the Raiders continued to frustrate the rest of the Cougars' shooters from the field. Concordia would hit just three of 19 shots overall for the first half.

Claire Mackey's (Shelton, NE/Heartland Lutheran) baseline jumper with 1:52 left gave the Cougars their only two-point basket of the half and pulled them within 23-15. But Marly Trier got that basket back for MSOE, and Kathleen Collingbourne hit a three at the buzzer from just inside the halfcourt stripe to give the hosts a 28-15 lead at the half.

Concordia's offensive problems did not improve at the start of the second half. The Cougars missed their first eight shots while the Raiders opened with an 11-4 run to open up a 20-point lead.

Time was running out on the Cougars before Schwab gave them some late hope. The senior hit consecutive threes as part of an 8-0 run to make the score MSOE 47, CUC 34 with just over six minutes remaining. But the offense would go dry over the next four minutes while the Raiders' lead moved back up into the high teens and ended any final chances for the Cougars.

Rickett scored Concordia's final few baskets and finished as the game's high scorer with 18 points. Carol Cayo led MSOE (17-9) with 16 points while Shannon Larson added 14.

MSOE shot 45 percent for the game on 23-51 while CUC was 22 percent on 11-49. The Raiders owned a 40-31 advantage on the glass. Turnovers were nearly even, MSOE having one more at 19-18.

Cocnordia finishes the season with a 9-17 overall record. Tonight's game was the final collegiate game for seniors Rickett, Schwab, Cristina Calabrese (Schiller Park, IL/East Leyden), Bobbie May (Sandusky, MI/H.S.) and Kellie Murphy (Johnsburg, IL/Marian Central Catholic).

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Players Mentioned

#23 Cristina Calabrese: F; 5' 8"; Senior

#5 Claire Mackey: F; 5' 10"; Junior

#4 Bobbie May: G; 5' 5"; Senior

#21 Kellie Murphy: F; 5' 10"; Senior

#32 Krystyna Rickett: G; 5' 6"; Senior

#33 Melissa Schwab: G; 5' 8"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#23 Cristina Calabrese
: 5' 8"; Senior
: F

#5 Claire Mackey
: 5' 10"; Junior
: F

#4 Bobbie May
: 5' 5"; Senior
: G

#21 Kellie Murphy
: 5' 10"; Senior
: F

#32 Krystyna Rickett
: 5' 6"; Senior
: G

#33 Melissa Schwab
: 5' 8"; Graduate Student
: G