The Dordt Defender women’s basketball team used a strong second half defensive performance to turn away Dakota Wesleyan 70-60 win GPAC play on Thursday, December 31 in Sioux Center. The game was originally scheduled to be played in November but was postponed.
Dakota Wesleyan built a 15-8 lead with 2:44 left in the first quarter but Dordt responded with Riley Van Hulzen getting a putback and Siennah Stamness added two free throws to make it a 4-0 run. With just under a minute left in the period Dordt tied it on a Macey Nielson three-point shot and Ashtyn Veerbeek’s basket on the next possession put the Defenders up 17-15 before settling for a 17-17 first quarter tie.
Dordt owned two five-point leads early in the second quarter but Wesleyan rebounded to take a 34-28 lead with 2:42 left in the half. Dordt answered with a seven-point run which was again ignited by a Van Hulzen basket and capped by a Bailey Beckman three-point shot. Dordt was unable to hold the lead into the locker room though as Wesleyan scored a put back just before the buzzer for a 36-35 halftime edge.
Dordt took the lead on a Jordyn Winterfeld three-point shot early in the third period and Dordt still had a three-point lead at 51-48 with 1:04 left in the third period. Wesleyan wouldn’t score again until the 5:04 mark of the game and Dordt had run off 12 points in a row and the Tigers were never closer than 10 the rest of the game.
Dordt is 7-6 overall and 6-4 in the GPAC while Dakota Wesleyan is now 5-5 and 3-6.
Dordt will host Midland on Saturday, January 2 at 2:00 pm.
