WILLMAR -- Ridgewater sophomore wing Jamie Munson quieted Rainy River's explosive scorer Tiffany Ward in the second half and the Lady Warriors had three players score in double figures as Ridgewater beat Rainy River 73-59 in the first round of the MCCC Women's Basketball Tournament Friday.
The Lady Warriors, the No. 2 seed from the Southern Division, face North top seed Itasca in the semifinals today at 8 p.m. The other semifinal pits Minneapolis and Rochester at 6 p.m.
Ridgewater owned a nine-point lead with 3:16 left in the opening half, but Ward drained three 3-pointers to close out the half and get Rainy River (18-8) within four at 38-34 at halftime. Ward canned five 3-pointers in the first half on the way to scoring 19 points, but the freshman forward wouldn't score in the second half.
"Munson shut down Ward in the second half and that sparked us," said Ridgewater coach Carrie Ogdahl. "We've said our defense would get our offense going and that was the case tonight."
Munson also ignited the Lady Warriors (17-7) on the offensive end as she finished with 13 points. Sophomore center Terra Billiet led the team with 18 points while sophomore guard Jenny Cunningham followed with 17.
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"We knew it would be a difficult game because they matched up perfect with us," said Billiet, who also grabbed 14 of the team's 53 rebounds. "We were more aggressive and sucked it up in the second half."
Ridgewater 73, Rny River 59
Rainy River (18-8) 34 25 -- 59
Ridgewater (17-7) 38 35 -- 73
RAINY RIVER - 22-58 FG (8-22 3-pt); 7-12 FT; 41 rebounds; 18 fouls ... Scoring: Tiffany Ward 7-20 0-0 19, Linsey Roppe 0-5 0-0 0, Michelle Cheney 6-10 3-7 15, Randi Cool 4-14 4-4 13, Melissa Hargrove 3-4 0-1 8, Ashley Lubbers 2-4 0-0 4 ... 3-point shots: Ward 5-16, Hargrove 2-2, Cool 1-4 ... Rebound leader: Cheney 15 ... Assist leaders: Roppe 3, Cheney 3, Cool 3 ... Steal leader: Ward 3
RIDGEWATER - 27-73 FG (7-16 3-pt); 12-24 FT; 53 rebounds; 12 fouls ... Scoring: Kayla Karnes 2-9 1-2 7, Jenny Cunningham 4-12 7-8 17, Ashley Olson 1-3 0-0 2, Jamie Munson 5-12 0-0 13, Melissa Sterkel 1-2 1-4 3, Sarah Primus 3-4 0-0 6, Amy Ballard 0-5 0-0 0, Katie Johnson 3-8 1-3 7, Terra Billiet 8-18 2-7 18 ... 3-point shots: Karnes 2-5, Cunningham 2-5, Munson 3-5, Olson 0-1 ... Rebound leaders: Billiet 14, Munson 9, Cunningham 7, Johnson 5 ... Assist leaders: Karnes 7, Cunningham 3, Billiet 3 ... Steal leaders: Cunningham 5, Karnes 2, Munson 2, Billiet 2
Itasca 76, MN West 58
Kari Virkus notched 16 points, 19 rebounds, seven steals and four blocked shots to power the Vikings (21-5). Tara Geisler had 17 points, Joslin Geisler 15 and Cary Zimmer 10.
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For Minnesota West (12-15), Laura Bents had 14 points, Katie Dekker 13 points and Krista Beek 11 points and 11 rebounds.
MN West (12-15) 30 28 -- 58
Itasca(21-5) 32 44 -- 76
MINNESOTA WEST - 20-62 FG (2-14 3-pt); 16-21 FT; 38rebounds; 22 fouls ... Scoring: Jitara Brame 0-2 0-0 0, Amanda Nash 0-3 0-0 0, Nyreshia Davis 1-3 0-0 2, Katie Dekker 4-14 5-5 13, Paige Bergeland 3-4 0-0 7, Tarryn Jansen 1-4 2-2 4, Brittney Williams 1-7 2-5 5, Katie Soderholm 1-1 0-0 2, Laura Bents 6-13 2-2 14, Krista Beek 3-11 5-6 11 ... 3-point shots: Bergeland 1-1, Williams 1-5, Brame 0-1, Nash 0-3, Davis 0-1, Dekker 0-1, Beek 0-2 ... Rebound leader: Beek 11 ... Assist leader: Bents 3 ... Steal leader: Dekker 5
ITASCA - 28-54 FG (3-4 3-pt); 17-33 FT; 42 rebounds; 20 fouls ... Scoring: Chelsea Geisler 3-4 2-6 9, Kelly Zavodnik 0-0 0-0 0, Cary Zimmer 5-8 0-0 10, Joslin Geoisler 6-9 3-5 15, Tarah Geisler 5-10 6-11 17, Amy Fiala 1-5 2-2 5, Kari Virkus 6-16 4-9 16, Katie Kasper 2-2 0-0 4 ... 3-point shots: C.Geisler 1-1, T.Geisler 1-1, Fiala 1-2 ... Rebound leader: Virkus 19 ... Assist leader: J.Geisler 6 ... Steal leader: Virkus 7
Rochester 78, Mesabi 56
Brittany Gladis had 15 points, Katy Schlicker 14, Rachel Tews 11, Rebekah Fitzgerald 10 for Rochester (17-10).
Jenna Norman led Mesabi Range with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
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Rochester (17-10) 38 40 -- 78
Mesabi Range (18-9) 20 56 -- 56
ROCHESTER - 33-65 FG (6-13 3-pt); 6-13 FT; 33 rebounds; 11 fouls ... Scoring: Chelsea Jajowka 2-6 2-2 7, Megan Linbo 0-0 2-2 2, Rachel Tews 4-5 1-2 11, Jenna Maggert 2-9 0-0 5, Brianna Streu 2-5 0-0 4, Katy Schlicker 6-11 0-2 14, Jessica O'Leary 4-4 0-0 8, Rebekah Fitzgerald 5-7 0-2 10, Brittany Gladis 7-12 1-3 15, Katie Krominga 1-6 0-0 2 ... 3-point shots: Jajowka 1-3, Tews 2-3, Maggert 1-3, Schlicker 2-4 ... Rebound leader: Gladis 6 ... Assist leader: Schlicker 4 ... Steal leader: Fitgerald 5
MESABI RANGE - 22-47 FG (3-12 3-pt); 9-15 FT; 21 rebounds; 10 fouls ... Scoring: Ellissa Holst 1-3 3-4 5, Sara Oliver 3-8 0-0 7, Breann Stottler 2-5 1-3 7, Laura Vake 2-5 0-0 4, Jenna Norman 8-13 3-5 20, Ashley St. Arnold 3-5 0-0 6, Liz Switzer 1-4 0-0 2, Annie Greenwood 2-4 1-2 5 ... 3-point shots: Oliver 1-5, Stottler 1-3, Norman 1-2, Vake 0-1 ... Rebound leader: Norman 12 ... Assist leader: St. Arnold 4 ... Steal leaders: Oliver 2, Stottler 2, St. Arnold 2
Minneapolis 69, Hibbing 53
Shakira Owens had 20 points and Gabriella Gustafson 12 to pace the Marauders (16-10).
For Hibbing (7-18), Kelly Ramsdell notched 14 points, Lacey Clark 12 and Marie Anderson 11.
Hibbing (7-18) 29 41 -- 53
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Minneapolis (16-10) 28 24 -- 69
HIBBING - 16-44 FG (3-16 3-pt); 18-25 FT; 36 rebounds; 12 fouls ... Scoring: Lacey Clark 2-11 7-8 12, Kelly Ramsdell 6-12 2-4 14, Stephanie Morrisette 2-10 1-1 7, Marie Anderson 2-5 7-9 11, Amanda Adams 3-5 1-3 7, Kristina Keller 1-1 0-0 2 ... 3-point shots: Morrissette 2-10, Clark 1-5 ... Rebound leader: Ramsdell 9 ... Assist leader: Anderson 2 ... Steal leaders: Clark 1, Morrissette 1, Anderson 1, Candice Burkman 1, Kristin Paine 1, Keller 1
MINNEAPOLIS - 30-81 FG (4-16 3-pt); 5-13 FT; 52 rebounds; 14 fouls ... Scoring: Gabriella Gustafson 4-10 3-4 12, Shakira Owens 9-15 0-1 20, Amy Klevie 3-8 1-3 8, Gwen Young 3-12 0-0 6, Huldah Omesa 4-8 0-1 8, Jayme Young 1-12 0-0 2, Lakita Davis 4-13 1-3 9, Lavera Jeffrie 2-2 0-1 4 ... 3-point shots: Gustafson 1-4, Owens 2-3, Klevie 1-3, Omesa 0-1, Davis 1-3, Jeffrie 0-1 ... Rebound leaders: Davis 12, Jeffrie 12 ... Assist leaders: Owens 2, Young 2 ... Steal leader: Young 6
