WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University women's basketball team used a battle-back effort to beat Michigan Tech 59-56, with three Warriors reaching double-digits in a balanced WSU offensive showing.
Winona State (4-8, 3-4 NSIC) trailed Michigan Tech (5-5, 1-1 GLIAC) by five points at the half and four points after three quarters, but used a surging fourth quarter effort to draw even with and eventually pass the Huskies on the scoreboard.
Final Score: Winona State 59, Michigan Tech 56
Attendance: 523
How It Happened
The visiting Huskies brought a strong start with them from Houghton, Michigan, taking an 11-2 lead over Winona State just five minutes into the game.
Alex Dornfeld helped WSU climb back into the contest early on, knocking down a pair of free throws followed by a jumper from
Mattie Schimenz to slow the Michigan Tech outburst.
In the second quarter,
Vivica Bretton joined the Warrior scoring column, completing a well-worked back-door cut for a layup off an assist from
Alex Dornfeld. Dornfeld followed up her helper to Bretton with three-pointer of her own, jump starting a WSU run that ended with Winona State tying Michigan Tech 18-18 at 4:03 in the second.
Michigan Tech would go on to tally three of the final four scoring plays of the half, taking a 27-22 lead to the lockerroom.
At The Half: Michigan Tech 27, Winona State 22
Emma Carpenter and
Vivica Bretton helped Winona State open on their collective front foot, as WSU traded baskets with MTU in the first five minutes of the third quarter. Michigan Tech re-started their offensive output and eventually led by as many as 11 points with just over two minutes to go in the third.
However, to the delight of the Warrior faithful,
Olivia Gamoke and
Ava Sergio quickly re-set the Warrior attack and helped WSU close the gap to just 45-41 MTU when back-to-back 3-pointers from Gamoke and Sergio kept the game within reach for the Warriors.
In the fourth and final frame, Winona State tallied five of the first six baskets in the opening five minutes to take a four-point advantage, their first lead of the game.
Buoyed by a vocal WSU fanbase, Winona State would hold Michigan Tech at bay the rest of the way, relying on 2-for-2 performances at the foul line by
Alex Dornfeld and
Emma Carpenter with less than 10 seconds to go in the game to ice the 59-56 Warrior win.
WSU Stat Standouts
Alex Dornfeld 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5-of-6 from the free line
Ava Sergio 11 points, 4 rebounds, 5-of-7 from the floor
Vivica Bretton 11 points, 3 rebounds
Team Stat Comparables
Winona State out-rebounded Michigan Tech 33-30 overall.
WSU forced MTU into 12 turnovers while committing 11 turnovers as a team.
The Warriors were 0-for-6 from behind the arc in the 1
st and 4
th quarters combined, but were 10-of-15 from the charity stripe in the same time period.
Beyond the Boxscore
Dornfeld's 13 points represented a season-high for the senior from Markesan, Wis.
WSU moves to 3-1 all-time vs. Michigan Tech; in the Warriors last meeting with the Huskies, WSU won 77-68 in 2002.
Tuesday's game was the last contest of the 2023 calendar year for Winona State. WSU will return to the hardwood in 2024 on January 6, hosting Northern State University.
Up Next
Winona State will host Northern State University on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.
