Tribune photo by T.J. Bartelt
WILLMAR -- Five were alive for Ridgewater College on Friday evening on the Lady Warriors' home floor.
Emily Mathiowetz (22 points), Danielle Goeman (17), Lisa Nielsen (15), Hilary Groothuis (15) and Tara Thielke (11) all reached double figures as the No. 3-South seed cruised by Northland, No. 2 from the North, 95-58.
All five starters shot better than 50 percent individually. As a team, Ridgewater popped away at a 53-percent clip from the floor.
Goeman made four of her team's 10 three-pointers.
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"I never even shot three-pointers in high school," marveled the freshman out of MACCRAY, whose 17 points were a season-best.
It might be too much to expect the Lady Warriors to repeat those type of numbers today against Rochester, the No. 1-ranked team in the MCCC, whose only conference loss was at Ridgewater on Jan. 19.
Groothuis, who also grabbed 13 rebounds, sized up the Yellowjackets this way: "They play great defense, aggressive, in-your-face. The first game (here) we shot the lights out."
Rochester (24-3) has depth, Groothuis added, plus two exceptional players in freshman Anne Breland and sophomore Kasie Heimer.
Breland played on state champion teams at Lourdes High School in both 2003 and 2005. Heimer, also from Rochester, scored 19 points when the Yellowjackets beat Ridgewater 53-49 at this same stage a year ago.
Anoka-Ramsey tumbled Rochester in the 2007 championship game 51-42 and then went on to win the NJCAA Division III national title.
Northland (18-9) was led by Casey Engelstad with 14 points. The Pioneers lost starting guard Tressta Ralson in the opening minutes with a leg injury.
Ridgewater 95, Northland 58
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Northland (18-9) ..................................30 28 -- 58
Ridgewater (18-8) ...............................49 46 -- 95
NORTHLAND - 24-79 FG (5-29 3-pt); 5-9 FT; 35 rebounds; 20 fouls ... Scoring: Sara Passa 4-11 0-0 8, Tressta Ralson 4-13 0-0 10, Alex Engelman 1-8 0-0 3, Brooke Conely 2-9 1-2 5, Steph Klamer 2-6 1-3 5, Casey Engelstad 7-9 0-0 14, Amanda Beck 1-3 0-0 3, Shawn Rogalla 2-14 0-0 5, Justyne Larson 1-4 3-4 5... 3-point shots: Ralston 2, Engelman 1, Beck 1, Rogalla 1 ... Rebound leaders: Engelstad 7 ... Assist leaders: Rogalla 5 ... Steal leaders: Conely 5
RIDGEWATER - 36-68 FG (10-18 3-pt); 13-20 FT; 57 rebounds; 13 fouls ... Scoring: Bridget Boehlke 3-6 0-1 6, Patina Queenan 2-7 0-0 5, Danielle Goeman 5-9 3-6 17, Tara Thielke 3-5 2-2 11, Emily Mathiowetz 10-14 0-0 22, Hilary Groothuis 5-9 5-6 15, Britney Glisczinski 1-4 0-1 2, Lisa Chinander 1-3 0-0 2, Lisa Nielsen 6-11 3-4 15... 3-point shots: Queenan 1, Goeman 4, Thielke 3, Mathiowetz 2 ... Rebound leaders: Goeman 8, Groothuis 13, Glisczinski 9 ... Assist leaders: Thieke 9, Mathiowetz 8 ... Steal leaders: Thielke 5
Anoka-Ramsey 81, Itasca 47
The Golden Rams shot 55 percent from the field, including 12 of 29 three-pointers. Sonja Ellingson led the way with 28 points.
Anoka-Ramsey (21-6) ..........................40 41 -- 81
Itasca (19-8) .........................................20 27 -- 47
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ANOKA-RAMSEY - 30-55 FG (12-29 3-pt); 9-14 FT; 28 rebounds; 23 fouls ... Scoring: Kate Bement 2-4 0-0 4, Love Washington 3-9 0-0 8, Carri Roline 1-1 3-4 5, Kelley Olson 2-4 1-2 6, Amanda Reh 6-9 1-2 16, Megan Hambelton 1-5 0-1 3, Jessica Cichy 5-9 0-0 11, Sonja Ellingson 10-14 4-5 28 ... 3-point shots: Wahington 2, Olson 1, Reh 3, Hambleton 1, Cichy 1, Ellingson 4 ... Rebound leaders: Ellingson 6 ... Assist leaders: Cichy 8 ... Steal leaders: Cichy 5
ITASCA - 13-39 FG (1-14 3-pt); 20-30 FT; 30 rebounds; 16 fouls ... Scoring: Mel Barbacovi 1-7 2-3 4, Natasha Hamilton 2-4 0-2 4, Erica Cleveland 3-8 8-12 15, Amber Schaaf 3-4 4-6 10, Megan Zubke 4-10 6-7 14... 3-point shots: Cleveland ... Rebound leaders: Zubke 7 ... Assist leaders: Barbacovi 2 ... Steal leaders: Fosness 2
Central Lakes 73, Riverland 66
Central Lakes mowed down the Blue Devils with a big second half that overcame Riverland's six-point lead at half. Becky Skiba scored 26 points to lead the team from Brainerd. For Riverland, Ashlegh Lau drained six 3s as the team made 14 of 35 overall.
Central Lakes (9-18) ...........................34 39 -- 73
Riverland (20-6) ..................................40 26 -- 66
CENTRAL LAKES - 26-52 FG (3-12 3-pt); 18-28 FT; 42 rebounds; 9 fouls ... Scoring: Brandi Cresap 2-5 4-4 8, Whitney Glazier 5-8 4-5 14, Cayla Collison 0-3 1-2 1, Stacey Butler 3-9 1-2 8, Brittnay Miller 0-3 4-6 4, Jayme Reed 7-10 1-2 15, Becky Skiba 9-14 3-7 23 ... 3-point shots: Butler 1, Skiba 2 ... Rebound leaders: Butler 11, Skiba 9... Assist leaders: Reed 5 ... Steal leaders: Skiba 3
RIVERLAND - 25-61 FG (14-35 3-pt); 2-6 FT; 30 rebounds; 22 fouls ... Scoring: Holy Waltz 1-2 0-0 2, Tracee Crowley 1-4 0-0 3, Ashleigh Lau 6-12 0-0 18, Becca Swalla 4-8 1-2 11, Brooke Monson 7-12 1-4 16, Lizzie Gunter 1-4 0-0 2, Anna Hebrink 5-15 0-0 14 ... 3-point shots: Corwley 1, Lau 6, Swalla 2, Monson 1, Hebrink 4 ... Rebound leaders: Hebrink 6, Monson 7 ... Assist leaders: Swalla 6, Hebrink 6 ... Steal leaders: Crowley 2
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Rochester 85, Vermilion 49
The Yellowjackets eased into the semifinals for a second year in a row behind Anne Breland's 22 points.
Vermilion (9-17) ..................................23 26 -- 49
Rochester (24-3)................................. 42 43 -- 85
VERMILION - 18-59 FG (4-13 3-pt); 9-13 FT; 40 rebounds; 14 fouls ... Scoring: Bre Hubbard 3-9 2-2 9, Reggie Horel 3-13 0-0 9, Jayme Young 4-14 2-4 10, Sarah Beckman 2-7 2-2 6, Kylea Deboe 6-16 3-5 15 ... 3-point shots: Hubbard 1, Horel 3 ... Rebound leaders: Young 11, Beckman 7, Seboe 7 ... Assist leaders: Hubbard 5 ... Steal leaders: Hubbard 2, Seboe 2 ... Blocks: Seboe 9
ROCHESTER - 36-85 FG (9-28 3-pt); 4-9 FT; 56 rebounds; 12 fouls ... Scoring: Ashley Westergaard 2-8 0-0 5, Megan Maurer 4-6 0-2 8, Courtney Jones 1-3 0-0 3, Melissa Streit 0-2 2-2 2, Kritina Thompson 3-7 0-0 8, Erin Maurer 3-5 0-0 6, Kasie Heimer 7-13 1-3 15, Amanda Degnan 4-12 1-2 10, Anne Breland 9-15 0-0 22, Kendra Heitkamp 3-8 0-0 6 ... 3-point shots: Westergaard 1, Jones 1, Thompson 2, Degnan 1, Breland 4 ... Rebound leaders: Degnan 10, Heimer 8 ... Assist leaders: Jones 4, Thompson 4 ... Steal leaders: Bicknese 4
