Women's basketball: Warriors can't catch Rochester
WILLMAR -- The Ridgewater women's basketball team worked hard to carve into a game-long deficit against Rochester on Wednesday, but turnovers and poor shooting doomed the Warriors.
Ridgewater pulled within 10 points in the final five minutes but Rochester scored the game's final 13 points and defeated the Warriors 75-53.
Ridgewater fell to 2-6 in the MCAC Southern Division and 5-15 overall. The Warriors are on the road for three straight games before playing their final regular-season home game Feb. 25 against Fergus Falls.
Against Rochester, the Warriors shot just 23 percent from the field -- just 16 baskets in 71 attempts -- and often fell victim to a dogged press. Ridgewater committed 25 turnovers, leading to a 15-point Rochester edge in points from turnovers. Rochester also had 19 steals.
Mikell Melius led the Warriors with 14 points and she had 6 rebounds, and Annie Winter had 12 points and 7 boards.
Rochesters Aly Meyer had game highs with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Rochester 75, Ridgewater 53
Rochester 35 40 -- 75
Ridgewater 27 26 -- 53
ROCHESTER - 29-72 FG (3-14 3-pt); 14-21 FT; 52 rebounds; 20 fouls ... Scoring: Megan Fleming 5, Jacey Anderson 5, Taige Thoreson 11, Cortney Kasten 9, Lane Gehl 11, Bobbi Jo Schuttemeier 2, Aly Bremer 3, Aly Meyer 21, Alycia Courson 8 ... 3-point shots: Fleming 1, Thoreson 1, Kasten 1 ... Rebound leaders: Meyer 12 ... Assist leaders: Fleming 3 ... Steal leaders: Gehl 4
RIDGEWATER - 16-71 FG (4-24 3-pt); 17-22 FT; 53 rebounds; 19 fouls ... Scoring: Lynsey Runke 2, Mikell Melius 14, Annie Winter 12, Cameo McNeley 5, Shantel Kelly 7, Alicia Koenen 6, Sam Cunningham 5, Bobbie Uecker 2 ... 3-point shots: Winter 2, Kelly 1, Cunningham 1 ... Rebound leaders: Winter 7, Melius 6 ... Assist leaders: Runke 4 ... Steal leaders: Cunninghamd 3
