The Raven women’s basketball team came out Monday night looking a little shell-shocked by the offensive attack of the Missouri Valley College Vikings.
After dropping the first meeting of the season to Valley (11-15, 6-10 HAAC) in Marshall, Mo., on Feb. 4, Benedictine (15-12, 10-6 HAAC) overcame a nine field-goal first half to earn a 69-60 win.
For both teams, the game allowed for the half-game to disappear in the HAAC standings as they were able to catch up to the number of games the rest of the conference had played.
Benedictine heads into the final two games of the regular season Thursday and Saturday just a game behind Central Methodist University for third place in the HAAC.
Monday night, Benedictine and Valley played the kind of game that the series has been known for over the past four or five seasons. The score went back and forth and each team took their fair share of contact in the paint and around the perimeter.
Benedictine led early by as much as five points but then went cold offensively which allowed Valley to take over the lead by the midpoint of the first half.
The first half saw seven ties and 10 lead changes with each team leading five times throughout the opening 20 minutes.
By the halftime break, the Vikings managed to pull ahead by eight points after leading the final three minute and 30 seconds of the half.
Still trailing by eight points six five minute into the second half, the Ravens went on a run and outscored the Vikings 11-3 over the next three minutes to pull the game even at 43 points.
Valley regained the lead briefly but then couldn’t find an answer for Benedictine guard Kelsey Wolfe (Sr., DeKelb, Mo.). Wolfe drained back-to-back 3-pointers to push the Ravens back ahead and then converted a bucket in the paint after coming up with a steal with just over eight minutes left in the game.
The Ravens never gave up their lead, pushing ahead by as much ass 11 points in the final minute of the game before earning the nine-point win.
Benedictine’s inside-out combo, led the squad in scoring. Wolfe along with center Teresa Zienkewicz (Sr., Wichita) each scored a game-high 17 points. Guard Rosie Youngstrom (Soph, Fairway) and forward Erin Murphy (Jr., Olathe) each scored nine points to round out the Ravens top scorers.
Valley was led by Ashley Troyer, who scored 16 points off the Vikings bench to anchor an effort that outscored Benedictine 30-22.
After being limited to just nine field goals in the first half, Benedictine knocked in 13 in the second half and shot 46.4 percent from the floor.
Defensively, the Ravens held the Vikings to just eight second-half field goals and a 29.6 percent shooting effort. Benedictine also outscored Valley 13-0 off turnovers forcing the Vikings into 23 turnovers.
Benedictine remains at home on Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. game against rival Baker University. Thursday night is also Senior Night with the Raven and Lady Raven seniors being honored and recognized between games.
— BC Sports Information —