Record-breaking performance for Dutch women’s basketball team over Westminster
Central Dutch Athletics
FULTON, MO. — Cloudy with a chance of trifectas must have been the forecast for Fulton, Mo. Wednesday afternoon, as the Central College women’s basketball team buried a program best 16 threes on route to a 73-61 triumph over Westminster College (Mo.).
Locked at 15 apiece after the opening quarter, Central (2-1) hit two triples in the early portion of the second quarter to take a lead Westminster (2-1) never closed.
“Three-point shooting was the difference tonight,” said coach Joe Steinkamp.
Senior sharpshooter Emily Dine (Oldsmar, Fla., East Lake HS) led the Dutch with 22 points, including six field goals from beyond the arc. Dine, the school’s all-time leader in three point makes, also had three steals and two assists.
“Dine was hitting from the beginning and her shooting really got us going,” said Steinkamp. “She did a great job of taking what the defense gave her.”
Senior guard Jessica Helton (Nevada) had 14 points, a career-high eight assists and five steals.
“Jess played a great all-around game,” said Steinkamp. “She was everywhere.”
Central’s inside presence the first two games of the season may have had an influence on how Westminster defended, according to Steinkamp.
“Westminster did a nice job taking away our inside game by fronting the post and had good ball pressure but that led to all the threes,” he said.
The Dutch got key contributions from their bench as senior guards Kristin Hubert (Moville, Woodbury Central HS), Kylie Mack-Garding (Gilbert, Ariz.), sophomore forward Jessica Nelson (Greenfield, Nodaway Valley HS), junior guard Kaitlyn Johnson (Stockport, Van Buren HS) and senior forward Tina Lane (Williamsburg) all finished with at least one three-point field goal. Lane led the reserves with 11 points, three rebounds and one block.
“It’s huge for us to get that scoring from our ladies off the bench,” said Steinkamp.
Central returns to the court Saturday with familiar foe Bethany Lutheran University at 6 p.m. The two teams squared off just four days ago, with the Vikings winning 79-72.
