After a slower offensive start, the Central College women’s basketball team’s defense sparked the Dutch to a 73-57 win over Grinnell College Wednesday.
Central generated just nine points in the game’s first 9 minutes but the persistent defensive effort set the stage for a 23-point second quarter that put the Dutch firmly in control at the intermission 37-27. Central’s full court press forced 12 steals on the night and held Grinnell to 0-16 shooting behind the 3-point line. Head Coach Moran Lonning said that her squad’s intensity on the defensive end was the difference in the game.
“Our intensity was high no matter where anyone was on the press. So, if it was the girl on the ball, she was trying to get tips as hard as she could. If it was the girl guarding one of the point guards, she was making it really tough. So, it takes everybody. If one person has a letdown, that’s the person that is probably gonna beat the press. So, I liked our intensity at every single part (of the game). And when we all bring it like that, it looks really good.”
It was a balanced effort for the Dutch, who eventually heated up enough to shoot 47.1% from the field in the fourth quarter and 35.5% for the night. Sophomore guard Abby Johnson (sophomore, Ankeny) had 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals while sophomore guard Cally Gibbs (Grinnell, Lynnville-Sully HS) added 12 points and Kassidi Steel (junior, New Sharon, North Mahaska HS) had 11. Forward Kaylee Weber (sophomore, Sigourney) had a game-high eight rebounds while freshman guard Jasmyn Williams (Denver, Colo., Arvada West HS) passed out six assists and sophomore guard Hannah Dau (Paullina, South O’Brien HS) had four.
Guard Kelsea Hurley (senior, Scottsdale, Ariz., Desert Mountain HS) had nine points, six rebounds and three assists, but missed her first free throw of the night. That was her first misfire since Feb. 16 last season, giving her a streak of 23 in a row that tied a school record set by former Division III player of the year Emilie Hanson March 2-Nov. 29, 1994. Hurley already started her next streak, hitting her three subsequent free throw tries.
Central hits the road for its next four games, starting with a non-conference contest next Tuesday in Jacksonville, Illinois against Illinois College at 5:30 p.m.