SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Behind a season-high 22 points from junior guard Ashley Schuelke, the Concordia-St. Paul women's basketball (22-6, 17-5 NSIC) team took down the MSU Moorhead Dragons (14-14, 10-12 NSIC) in the NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals, 70-66. In a back-and-forth contest that saw the lead change hands 14 times, the Golden Bears hit clutch buckets to survive and advance to the NSIC Semifinals on Monday afternoon.
With the win CSP has now won each of its last 14 games, the longest active streak in the NSIC, taking down the same Dragons that handed them their last loss back in January.
"That was a fun opening game for us here at the tournament," Head Coach Amanda Johnson said. "Last time we played Moorhead, we saw them at our place and had a tough loss in overtime. So for us we knew it was going to be a tough game."
Ashley Schuelke led the way setting a new season-high with 22 points on the afternoon, the junior knocked down shots all game long, going 7-of-11 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. At the line Schuelke was a perfect 4-of-4, while chipping in five rebounds and four assists.
"It was back-and-forth pretty much the whole game," Johnson said. "We really took over a little bit more in the second half, we really stressed going into that second half, winning the third and fourth quarter and we did that. With the help of Ashley [Shuelke] having a big game."
Leah Dengerud came away with 13 points in the win, knocking down a three at the 6:36 mark of the second quarter to become the 32nd member of the CSP 1,000 point club. The senior guard hit on 3-of-4 attempts from beyond the arc, while cleaning up at the charity stripe by going 4-of-4, adding in two steals on defense.
"She's been around the program for many years and has been a big time starter," Johnson said. "If we need a big time three, like the one she hit in the third quarter, she'll knock it down."
Lydia Haack dropped 15 points in the win, hitting at a 50% (5-10) clip from the field and going 5-of-7 at the line. Haack dished out four assists as well, while coming away with two steals. Lauren Wilson added in 11 points, grabbing seven boards, dishing out four assists and blocking three shots.
CSP shot 38.5% (20-52) from the floor, while holding the Dragons to 36.7% (22-60) shooting, From beyond the arc the Golden Bears hit at a 39.1% (9-23) clip while holding MSUM to 22.2% (2-9) from three.
Schuelke opened the game with back-to-back corner threes to give the Golden Bears a 6-2 lead in the early going. Leah Dengerud chipped in another three ball to make it a 9-4 game, from there Moorhead put together a 9-4 run to tie the game at 13 to conclude the opening period.
Play bounced back-and-forth, with three lead changes to open the second, before CSP grabbed a 21-17 lead on a Leah Dengerud three ball, giving the senior her 1,000th career point and becoming the 32nd member of the CSP 1,000 point club. CSP led by as many as five in the second before the Dragons stormed back with a 8-0 run to take a 33-30 lead into the half.
Three more lead changes ensued to start the second half, as MSUM went up four near the midway point of the period. Defensive pressure by Lydia Haack led to a steal and a layup to get CSP back within two, before Avery Moeller sank a three ball to give the Golden Bears the lead, with the game remaining deadlocked at 49 heading into the final period.
A pair of layups by Schuelke and Haack gave CSP a four point cushion early in the fourth. CSP never surrendered the lead from there with Dengerud hitting another clutch three to open a six point lead with 3:44 to play. Moorhead continued to chip away though, cutting the CSP lead to just two with 56 seconds to play. Terryn Johnson drove the lane for Moorhead but Ashley Schuelke stood her ground, taking the charge and sealing the win for CSP.
"We were stressing, help-side backside on that lob into the post," Ashley Schuelke said. "I was there, saw her coming and decided to take it."
With the win the Golden Bears advance to the NSIC Semifinals for the second consecutive season and will face the winner of the UMD/Winona State game tomorrow afternoon. Tip-off for Monday's semifinal matchup is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon.
