Rapidly improving Dutch close with narrow women’s basketball loss

Central College

PELLA–A desperation heave by guard Rachel Evans (senior, Fort Dodge) caromed off the front of the rim at the buzzer and a gritty Central College women’s basketball comeback failed with it, resulting in a 56-54 Wartburg College win.

But despite closing with a 10-15 record and a 1-13 Iowa Conference mark, the progress Central made through an injury-riddled season, and the message the youthful team sent in the season’s final week about the program’s future, was evident.

Wednesday the Dutch rallied from a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes to surprise Loras College 74-70. Saturday’s comeback was similar, albeit not as successful in pushing a Wartburg club that dominated Central at Waverly Jan.14, 66-42.

“I felt like our team did an exceptional game executing our defensive game plan,” said coach Chelsea Petersen. “When we played Wartburg in January their inside post players really hurt us. Our defensive game plan was to take away action in the paint. We held Wartburg’s post players to six total points today.”

It was Senior Day Saturday at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium and as the fans paid tribute to the upperclassmen who held the team together as the injuries mounted, Central’s younger players continued to emerge.

Sophomore guard Mariah Swartzentruber (Kalona, Mid-Prairie HS) knocked down six 3-point shots and matched her career-high with 18 points. She finished the season with 64 threes, breaking the Dutch single season record of 58 set by Allison Cooper in the 1999-2000 season. Freshman forward Jackie Kriegel (Marengo, Iowa Valley HS) added nine points, seven rebounds and three steals.

“Jackie Kriegel continued to rebound the ball well today,” said Petersen.

Meanwhile Central got its usual productive stat line from the hard-nosed Evans, who closed her Dutch career with 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a steal. She finished with a school career-record 205 steals. And all-conference backcourt mate Kenzie Vander Molen (senior, Pella) contributed six points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot in an energetic 38 minutes.

Also making their final collegiate showing with the Dutch were seniors Bry Pierce (St. Clair, Mo.), a center, guard Lauren Sharp (Grinnell) and guard Kaitlin Stump (Lancaster, Mo., Schuyler R-1 HS).

“Senior day is a special day,” said Petersen. “I really want to thank our seniors for all the contributions they have made to the program. All of them were outstanding in their own individual way. They did a phenomenal job in their four years here at Central.”

Central trailed by as many as four points in the first half but a Swartzentruber three at the buzzer cut Wartburg’s advantage to 33-32 at halftime. The Knights (15-10 overall, 6-8 conference) regained control in the second half, stretching the lead to 51-44 with 7:21 left. But displaying the poise the young Dutch perhaps lacked early in the year, Central staged an 8-0 run that produced a surprising 52-51 lead with 1:48 remaining. A Kriegel layup left Central on top 54-53 with 1:15 left but the Dutch were scoreless the rest of the way, missing a pair of free throws with 24 seconds remaining.

Central was whistled for a foul on a blocked 3-point try by Wartburg’s Kristie Sommer, who drilled three free throws with nine seconds left. Vander Molen then drew contact on her lay-up try with five seconds left but misfired. The Dutch quickly fouled and Wartburg missed its free throw attempt but Evans didn’t have time to get the ball across half court before her long-range miss at the buzzer.

Central was hampered by icy 27.6-percent shooting and was outrebounded 41-38. But the Dutch came up with 11 steals and forced 20 turnovers while committing just 10.

The Dutch endured a staggering rash of injuries throughout the challenging season, costing them the services of eight players with starting experience. Guard Emily Neff (sophomore, Cedar Falls), who started every game as a freshman and was named a team co-captain in just her second season, was lost for the year during the preseason. Sharp started the first two games before being sidelined, but eventually returned. Pierce, another returning starter, was injured early in the season and saw only occasional minutes. Highly recruited freshman forward Madeline Simmons (Omaha, Neb., Elkhorn South HS) earned a starting spot later in the season and was lost for the year shortly thereafter. Point guard Abbie Agan (sophomore, New Sharon, North Mahaska HS) also suffered a season-ending injury shortly after moving into the starting lineup following an injury to Vander Molen. The team’s top two scorers, Vander Molen and Evans, each missed several games due to injury and were at less than full strength down the stretch. Stump, one of Central’s top scorers last year before being lost at mid-year, had to deal with a lengthy recovery and wasn’t 100 percent.

“What I am going to remember about this group of seniors is how well they did leading our younger players,” said Petersen. “We were a very youthful team this year. Our seniors did a great job of holding our team together and making sure our team was ready to go. I think without our senior leadership we don’t win Wednesday against Loras.”

Only three Dutch players were healthy enough to appear in every game.

That left Central with a lineup continually in flux and dominated by a freshman class that, fortunately, is deep and promising. The progress and resilience the Dutch showed leave Petersen enthused about the program’s future as she wraps up her second season as head coach and the team’s talent level continues to rise.

“I am extremely excited about the future of Dutch women’s basketball,” said Petersen.