DWU Athletics
Michael Eisenbarth, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Despite multiple players reaching double figures, the Dakota Wesleyan University women’s basketball team fell, 64-61, to conference foe University of Jamestown in Great Plains Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon in Jamestown.
Jada Campbell (Alexandria, S.D.) secured the first three baskets for Dakota Wesleyan as UJ marched to a 12-6 lead midway through the first period. Campbell converted off assists from Haidyn Pitsch (Prior Lake, Minn.) and Haylee Mork (Aberdeen, S.D.).
Kaylee Kirk (Balaton, Minn.) and Mattie Reiner (Tripp, S.D.) recorded buckets late in the opening quarter, however, the Jimmies (5-3, 3-3 GPAC) ended the period on a 9-2 run taking a 22-13 advantage.
The Jamestown lead reached 13 midway through the second quarter, though the Tigers (3-3, 1-3 GPAC) halted the momentum piecing together a 15-5 heading into halftime. A 3-pointer by Korynn Clason (Cambridge, Neb.) along with jumpers by Pitsch and Campbell sparked the run as DWU trailed by one, 38-37 heading into the break.
A Reiner defensive rebound and ensuing assist to Pitsch in the lane gave DWU a 39-38 margin in the early moments of the second half. Both teams traded the advantage until a 3-pointer by Pitsch, one of six for the Tigers in the contest, forced a UJ timeout trailing 45-43 at the 6:45 mark in the third quarter. Multiple assists down the stretch guided Dakota Wesleyan to a 53-48 lead entering the final period.
In the fourth quarter, the lead continued to flip as neither team capitalized on the momentum. Another jumper from Reiner off a Campbell assist brought DWU to within one, trailing 58-57 with just under five minutes left. Later in the period, Kirk’s only basket of the contest knotted the score at 61-61 as the game approached three-and-half minutes. A late 3-pointer by the Jimmies hindered the Tiger comeback and Dakota Wesleyan came up short on the road 64-61.
Pitsch paced DWU with her sixth double-figure outing of the season posting 18 points and eight rebounds. Campbell also surpassed double figures tallying a season-high 15 points to go along with nine boards. The Tigers recorded 14 assists and 10 steals in the road loss and outrebound Jamestown 38-35 on the glass.
The Blue and Gray return to the court next versus Morningside College at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening in Sioux City, Iowa.