Box Score MOORHEAD, Minn. – A high scoring first half from Minnesota State University Moorhead's
Marisa Yernatich was not enough to overtake Winona State Saturday in Moorhead, Minn. The Dragons (6-9, 3-7 NSIC) fell 69-61 in Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse to the Warriors (11-6, 6-5 NSIC).
Both teams came out of the gates slowly but action heated up thanks to the 3-point ball.
Angie Jetvig began scoring for the Dragons with a score in the paint to follow up a Winona State score. Only a minute later,
Marisa Yernatich began the show from behind the arc.
The junior, second in the NSIC in 3-point percent (47.4%), showed no hesitation putting up the deep ball despite an 0-4 3-point night against Upper Iowa. The Yernatich three gave MSUM their first lead of the day. The two teams continued to trade leads until Yernatich sank another three from the left wing, setting the score at 12-8 in favor of the Dragons.
A missed fast break opportunity from
Haley Thomforde allowed Winona to take the ball down court and hit a three to take back the lead, 16-15 with over five minutes to go in the half. After a Thomforde free throw to tie the game, Yernatich converted another three from the top of the key. Winona would grab one more lead before the half, only to lose it to another Yernatich 3-pointer. The long points gave Yernatich 12 points for the first half and a 24-22 lead into halftime.
Yernatich scored a season high 18 points in part from hitting 4-of-4 3-point shots in the first half. The second half would not be as fortunate for the Dragons.
“My teammates set good screens for me, I think we just did a good job working together,” Yernatich said about her first half performance.
The Warriors began the second half sharp as Abby Busch took an assist from Michelle McDonald and converted to tie the game at 24. Jetvig answered two made shots from Winona to tie the game again at 26, two minutes in. When put to the free throw line twice,
Megan Strese converted all four with the last coming with 16 minutes to go in the second. Missed shots and second chance opportunities plagued both teams for the next three minutes. The Warriors' Marieanna Dulas converted a 3-pointer to grab a 35-34 lead.
The Dragons fell back by more than one point for the first time in six minutes, allowing Dulas to sink a shot behind the arc to put the Warriors up 40-36. A deep jump shot from Strese was the only highlight from the Dragons as the Warriors went on a 12-2 run. Head coach
Karla Nelson, in an effort to stop the bleeding, called a timeout to re-group with her team. Thomforde came out of the timeout by hitting a shot but high scoring was not over from Becca Friestleben as the Warrior hit three 3-pointers in a row to put the visitors up 53-42.
Yernatich, in an effort to lessen the deficit, sank her fifth 3-pointer with under five minutes to go to bring the Dragons within seven, 53-46. Eight points from the Dragons and five from the Warriors ensued to bring the score to the closest margin since 8:13 left in the half. Missed shot opportunities from the Dragons along with converted free throws from the Warriors all but sealed the game with a 69-61 Warrior win.
“Defensively our effort was good. It was a well-played game from both teams and pretty good intensity from both teams. It just came down to the place and time that they hit those shots,” coach Nelson said.
MSUM finished the game 19-for-58, 32.8%, from the field, 6-for-16, 37.5%, from three, and 17-for-24, 70.8%, from the free throw line. The Dragons were led in scoring by Yernatich (18), Strese (17), and Jetvig (12).
WSU shot 21-for-54, 38.9%, from the field, 7-for-19, 36.8%, from three, and 20-for-26, 76.9%, from the free throw line. The Warriors had four players score in double-digits: Becca Friestleben (15),Marieanna Dulas (12), Michelle McDonald (12) and Abby Busch (11).
The Dragons begin a three-game road trip by taking on Concordia-St. Paul on Jan. 20 at 6 p.m.
Steve d'Eustachio's Stat of the Game: Head Coach
Karla Nelson's Dragons have played on Jan. 14 three other times, winning them all: 2005 at Bemidji State, 2006 vs. Minnesota Crookston and 2011 vs. Upper Iowa.
