WORHTINGTON -- Minnesota West had three chances in the last 30 seconds to overtake the visiting Ridgewater Lady Warriors but the team from Willmar rejected each try.
The result was a 62-61 win, a vital victory for the Lady Warriors who are fighting for a top-four finish in the Southern Division race.
"It was a heckuva game," said Ridgewater coach Carrie Ogdahl. "We played unbelievable defense, tough man-to-man in-your-face defense."
The Lady Bluejays offense is built around 3-point shots. They've fired off a state-high 593 attempts coming in (making 160, a 27 percent success rate.)
Stacy Bush hit her third trey with 30 seconds left to move the Bluejays to within a point of the lead, 62-61.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We threw the ball right back to them," recounted Ogdahl. "But they missed and we rebounded, then they tied us up, and we made another stop and this time they called a travel on us that I didn't agree with and they got one more shot with less than three seconds left and it was short."
Sophomore guard Kayla Karnes had a big game for Ridgewater scoring 14 points and playing tenacious defense. Hilary Groothuis followed with 13 in the pivot and Ashley Olson popped in 10 more. Melissa Sterkel worked inside for eight more, post Krystel Prodoehl seven and Karen Christopher six on two treys.
Jacinta Boever got 18 for West and Bush 17; both knocked down a trio of treys.
Ridgewater (3-5, 10-11), which moves to within a game of the third-place Bluejays (4-4, 9-14), plays at first-place Anoka-Ramsey on Saturday.
Ridgewater 62, Minnestoa West 61
Ridgewater (3-5, 10-11)...........30 32 -- 62
Minnesota West (4-4, 9-14).....22 39 -- 61
RIDGEWATER COLLEGE - 25 FG (4 3-pt); 8-9 FT; rebounds, not available; 17 fouls ... Scoring: Kayla Karnes 14, Amy Ballard 2, Kristen Hegna 2, Ashley Olson 10, Melissa Sterkel 8, Hilary Groothuis 13, Karen Christopher 6, Krystle Prodoehl 7 ... 3-point shots: Karnes 2, Christopher 2 ... Rebound leaders: not available.
ADVERTISEMENT
MINNESOTA WEST - 22 FG (6 3-pt); 11-14 FT; rebounds, not available; 9 fouls ... Scoring: Amanda Nash 2, Tarryn Jansen 4, Stacy Bush 17, Rosie Lewis 13, Brittney Williams 5, Jacinta Boever 18, Katie Soderholm 2 ... 3-point shots: Bush 3, Boever 3 ... Rebound leaders: not available.
