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02.27.09
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In semifinal action of the Mid-Central Conference tournament, the
NAIA Division II 16th-ranked Huntington University
Foresters fought off the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats for a 67-64 win
and earned a spot in the tournament title game. Taylor University,
the #4 seed in the tournament, upset top-seeded Bethel College 66-54
in the other semifinal, so Huntington will host the Trojans at 7:00
p.m. on Monday, March 2.
The two teams played to a 6-6 tie to begin the contest, but the
Foresters’ defense came up big holding IWU to just two points over a
10-minute span. HU took advantage of the Wildcat drought and built
a 22-8 cushion with 6:13 to play. When Jenna Donaldson picked up
her second foul at the 4:17 mark, she joined two other Forester
starters on the bench. IWU was then able to gain some momentum down
the stretch and trimmed HU’s lead to just 28-22 at the break.
The Wildcats emerged from the locker room and immediately picked up
where they left off. They outscored the Foresters 13-5 to take
their first lead of the game at 35-33 at the 15:18 mark and a seesaw
battle commenced. The lead changed hands 10 times over the next 13
minutes ending in a stalemate at 59-59 with 2:19 to play.
Kelsey Green was at the line looking to give HU a one-point lead,
but when she missed, Donaldson came up with the offensive rebound.
The Foresters worked the ball around and Lauren Davenport finally
got loose in the lane. When the Wildcat defender stepped up,
Davenport dished to Courtney Beerbower who laid it in to put HU up
61-59 with 2:00 to play. The Foresters’ defense held at the other
end and HU whittled the shot clock down looking for a good shot. It
was Davenport again who drove a seam in IWU’s defense and then
kicked it out to Sarah Miller on the wing. Miller drained the
three putting HU up 64-59 with 1:03 left.
Rachel Steinbarger was fouled on the Wildcats’ next possession and
she dropped in the pair of free throws. IWU then fouled Donaldson
as she was bringing the ball up the floor. Donaldson nailed both
charity tosses to regain HU’s five-point advantage with 41 seconds
to play. The Wildcats missed two 3-point attempts at the other end
and fouled Miller with four seconds to go. Miller hit one of two
and IWU’s Andrea Fichter knocked down a three at the buzzer giving
HU the 67-64 victory.
Miller paced the Foresters with 15 points. Green chipped in 13 off
the bench and Beerbower and Donaldson both finished with 10.
Steinbarger took game-high honors with 19 points and eight
rebounds. LeAnn Douglas had 14 points, Elaine Hessel added 12 and
Fichter finished with 10.
Box Score |
