ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Concordia women's basketball team (6-3, 2-1 NSIC) defeated Upper Iowa (0-8, 0-4 NSIC) in a very close matchup by a score of 60-57, Friday night inside the Gangelhoff Center.
 
Leading the way for CSP was Lauren Shifflett with 18 points (4-8 3FG) and three assists. Anna Schmitt finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, and six assists for Concordia. Kyrah Fredenburg, Kayla Miller and Lindsay Dorr all finished with eight points apiece for Concordia.
 
The Golden Bears got off to a quick 6-2 lead to start the game but the Peacocks responded with a 6-0 run to take a two point lead midway through the first quarter. For the next three minutes, both teams would keep it close and with the score tied at 12 with 1:59 left in the first period of play CSP would use an 8-0 run to take 20-12 lead going into the second quarter.
 
In the second quarter, Concordia continued to hold onto their lead but Upper Iowa started to heat up from the floor as they clawed their way back to take a 34-30 lead heading into the locker room. UIU would outscore CSP 22-10 in the second quarter of play while shooting 50% from the field in the first half and holding the Golden Bears to 28.1 percent shooting.
 
Lauren Shifflett was the only Golden Bear to shoot above 50% in the first half as she led CSP with 11 points on 3-5 shooting, all from 3-point range, and a pair of free-throws. For Upper Iowa Blair Klostermann and Ashley Rosenstiel led the way with 10 first half points apiece.
 
Coming out of the locker room, Concordia quickly erased their deficit with a 5-0 run to take a one point lead just over one minute into the quarter. After baskets were traded for a few minutes, CSP would build a five point lead with 6:10 remaining in the quarter.
 
However, Upper Iowa would use an 8-0 run to take a 46-43 lead just over midway through the third quarter. Kyrah Fredenburg would drill a 3-pointer on the Golden Bears next offensive possession and then a few possessions later Shifflett would sink a pair of free-throws to give the lead back to Concordia.
 
Each team would make one more basket in the remaining time and the Golden Bears would take a 50-48 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
 
In the four quarter, neither team could get the scoring going as Concordia held a 10-9 scoring advantage to hold on for the 60-57 win. CSP never trailed in the quarter and after the Peacocks cut the lead to three, Shifflett would again, drain a pair of free-throws to give the Golden Bears a four point lead with 24 seconds left in the game.
 
UIU would have a couple great chances to get back into the game but their final basket came with only two seconds left.
 
Upper Iowa was led by Blair Klostermann with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Ashley Rosenstiel and Sam Ofstad each added 10 points in the loss.
 
As a team the Golden Bears went 16-17 (94.1%) from the free-throw line which ties for eighth in program history for a single game.
 
Concordia returns to action tomorrow as they host #12 Winona State at 4 pm.