Bay College Women Pull Away To Beat MATC 67-55
Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos from the game, and click the AUDIO buttons to hear post-game comments from Kennedy Englund and Matt Gregory, and the player spotlight interview from Stephanie Frappy.
ESCANABA---When the going got tough, the Bay College women’s basketball team got going. The Norse coughed up a 16-point lead to the Milwaukee Area Technical College Stormers, but after the visitors used pressure defense to tie the game, the Norse finished on a 17-5 run to post a 67-55 win at the Bay College Gym.
“We knew going in that they were going to pressure us, especially at the start of quarters,” Norse Coach Matt Gregory said. “It was getting physical and we knew they (referees) weren’t going to call…and it got crazy with a lot of body contact involved separating us from the basketball. But either way, that’s just college basketball, and you’ve just got to find ways to persevere and finish it out.”
The win capped a 2-0 weekend for the Norse, who improved to 4-2 on the season. The Stormers entered the game with an impressive 6-1 record, but they were dealt their second loss of the season.
Bay has never lost to MATC in women’s basketball.
The Stormers trailed, 29-13, in the second quarter as the Norse were hot from behind the three-point line. Bay still led by eleven, 47-36, entering the fourth quarter before the MATC defense started to make things happen.
Bay led, 50-46, when Jordan Isom knocked down a jumper, and then on the inbounds play, a turnover led to a Lauryn Evans layup that tied the game at 50-50 with 3:58 left in the game.
The Norse responded as Bree Arsenault nailed a three-pointer with 3:45 left to regain a 53-50 lead. Evans knocked down a couple of free throws to bring MATC to within 53-52, but Kennedy Englund swished a huge three-pointer with 2:32 left to give Bay some separation at 56-52.
“It felt pretty good,” Englund said. “Our team was making good passes and I’ve got to get the shot up. We had a lot of good extra passes.”
After a stop, Englund was fouled and made two free throws to make it 58-52, and then her fellow Mid Pen High School graduate Chevy Koski drove to the basket and put down a layup with 1:19 left to make it a 60-52 lead.
Englund led the Norse with 17 points on five three-point baskets. Koski had 16 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double, and she made nine of her 11 free throw attempts.
“She’s (Englund) playing both sides of the ball very well,” Gregory said. “She’s got that basketball savviness and understanding. Chevy Koski did some pretty strong things as well. Coming from a town like Rock, you’ve got to be tough, right?”
Gladstone’s Alaina Trudeau and North Central’s Bree Arsenault both had seven points and Andie Arsenault nailed three triples for nine points.
“It was really good to see us knock down some perimeter shots,” Gregory said. “Just making plays. That’s what’s part of being a college basketball player.”
MATC got 17 points from KD Peterson, with 15 of those coming in the first half.
Bay College shot 55 percent from three-point range (11 of 18), with half of their point total coming from behind the arch. The Stormers were only 2-of-17 from downtown.
Bay was also 18-of-27 from the free throw line.
“It was good to see some progress and finally lock one in after some close losses,” Gregory said. “They responded, and they responded on the defensive end, they responded with hustle, and just being more confident.”
The Norse did commit 21 turnovers, something the Norse will need to clean up before they face the eighth-ranked team in the country, Morton (Illinois) College, at a tournament at Gogebic Community College in Ironwood.
“I think they had the toughest press (faced) this year,” Englund said. “We worked together and we got through with it. We’ve got to get better at it because we know it’s going to be coming against Morton.”
Bay’s other opponent next weekend, Vermillion (Minn.) Community College has cancelled its women’s basketball season.
