Wayne State College women’s basketball team faced a tough loss at home against the St. Cloud State Huskies, ending the game with a score of 64-52. With this defeat, the Wildcats’ overall record stands at 10-15, and their league record is now 5-14, while the Huskies improve to 12-12 and 9-10.
The game started with a close battle, but Wayne State found themselves down by three points after the first quarter, with senior Meg Reitz contributing six points and Rachel Dahlen adding four. In a significant shift, St. Cloud State dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 24-11 and taking a commanding 39-23 lead into halftime.
The Wildcats showed resilience in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to seven points thanks to a field goal from Kelsey Willems. However, the Huskies quickly reestablished their lead, going up by nine as the quarter closed.
Emma Frost made an impactful start to the fourth quarter with two consecutive baskets, bringing Wayne State within five points. Yet, St. Cloud State quickly quashed any hopes of a Wildcat comeback with an 8-2 run that expanded their lead back to 15 points.
Kylah vanDonkersgoed stood out for Wayne State, leading the team with 19 points. Emma Frost made a valuable contribution off the bench, scoring 10 points and adding three rebounds, three assists, and a steal, demonstrating efficiency by going 4-for-4 from the field and hitting both free throw attempts. In addition, Dahlen recorded six points and eight rebounds, while Reitz finished with eight points and three rebounds.
Defensively, vanDonkersgoed was a force, leading the team with four steals and three blocks. The Wildcats managed to keep their turnovers to a minimum with only 10 in the game, whereas they forced the Huskies into making 17 turnovers. Wayne State shot 39.3 percent from the floor, while St. Cloud State had a shooting percentage of 41.3.
Looking ahead, Wayne State will have the challenging task of facing the nation’s top-ranked team, the Minnesota State Mavericks, at home. The highly anticipated match is set to tip off at 1 p.m. in Wayne, Nebraska. This upcoming challenge presents an opportunity for the Wildcats to showcase their growth and determination in front of their home crowd.