Comeback falls short for Dutch women’s basketball squad
Central College
PELLA — The Central College women’s basketball team erased a 20-point deficit Saturday against Coe, but could not complete the comeback, falling 66-61 to the Kohawks.
The Dutch (4-15, 1-7 Iowa Conference) found themselves down 22-2 to Coe (13-6, 4-4 conference) with 3:25 to play in the first quarter. The Kohawks opened the game 7-for-8 from behind the arc.
“Not too many teams will shoot like they did to start the game,” coach Chelsea Petersen said. “After the first five minutes, they stopped scoring at that clip and we were able to settle down.”
Central stormed back, taking its first lead at 61-60 with 2:11 on the clock in the fourth quarter. But the Kohawks went on a 6-0 run to end the game, securing the victory.
“I am so proud of the way our team battled,” Petersen said. “We played a great three and a half quarters.”
The first half saw the Dutch shoot 24 percent from the floor and 19 percent from 3-point range. Central heated up in the final 20 minutes, knocking down 39 percent of shots in the second half and 42 percent from long range. Coe connected on 35 percent for the game, while the Dutch finished at 32 percent.
Petersen pointed to the free throw shooting in the second half as an area of improvement. The Dutch made 7-of-14 from the charity stripe after halftime and 8-of-8 in the first half.
“We left a lot of points at the free throw line down the stretch,” she said. “We had chances to extend our lead and didn’t.”
The Dutch outrebounded Coe 47-39, including 16-10 on the offensive end. Central’s 16 offensive rebounds led to 17 second-chance points.
“We did a lot of good things today,” Petersen said. “We just came up a little bit short.”
She knows her team is headed in a good direction.
“We are an improved basketball team,” Petersen said. “We have competed and battled back multiple times. Once we get some more experience, we will finish games.”
Three Central players came down with 11 rebounds each, freshman forward Claire Marburger (Perry), sophomore guard Alison Malaby (Mechanicsville/North Cedar HS) and sophomore forward Jackie Kriegel (Marengo/Iowa Valley HS).
“To have three players get that many rebounds is a great feat,” Petersen said. “I don’t know the last time I’ve seen that happen.”
Marburger added 27 points for her seventh double-double of the season. She had three blocks and a steal.
“Claire was tremendous today,” Petersen said. “She was the best player on the court and stepped up for us.”
Malaby had seven points, three assists and a steal, while Kriegel tacked on four points, three assists and a steal.
“I can’t give Jackie enough credit,” Petersen said. “She opened things up for our guards with her inside presence. She does a lot more that what shows up on the box score.”
Sophomore guard Jessica Helton (Nevada) poured in 15 points and added three steals.
Central will remain at home, hosting Luther Wednesday at 6 p.m. in P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium on the front end of a women’s-men’s twinbill. Live stats and video will be available at central.edu/athletics.
“Luther is a tough matchup for us,” Petersen said. “The key to the game will be breaking their full court press and getting quality possessions in the half court. We have to establish the pace of the game and stay patient and poised.”
