WILLMAR -- Five-point leads with 12 seconds left are supposed to stand up.
The Ridgewater College Lady Warriors nearly let a sure win get away in the final moments Wednesday night.
A lane violation nullified the tying free throw with 1.8 seconds left, allowing Ridgewater to escape with a 64-62 victory over the College of St. Benedict junior varsity.
It was an entertaining end to a scrappy, up-tempo contest that saw 45 turnovers.
Ridgewater fell behind 52-46 with 5:00 left when the Blazers scored five points off consecutive Ridgewater ball-handling errors.
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But Hilary Groothius, who had 17 of her game-high 21 points in the second half, tied it 52-all and again at 54 on strong moves around the iron.
A three-point play by the sophomore forward out of MACCRAY put the Lady Warriors up 59-54.
With 12.7 seconds left, Emily Mathiowetz made a three-point play off a connection from Groothuis while breaking the Blazer press.
At 63-58, it appeared the Lady Warriors' had their eighth win well in hand. But Anne Kuduk cashed a 3-pointer from the wing with 7.4 seconds left and it was 63-61.
Ridgewater again broke the press and Groothuis and Lisa Nielsen both took shots from underneath the Blazer basket, each missing, with Nielsen drawing her fifth foul for over-the-back with 1.8 left.
Laura Canton made the first free throw and then the second to supposedly tie it, 64-64. But one of the three officials called a lane violation on St. Benedict.
Tara Thielke was fouled and made 1 of 2 at the other end for the final, 64-62.
Patina Queenan added 13 points for Ridgewater, which is next at home on Jan. 2. Thielke scored eight points and made seven steals. Groothuis also had 14 rebounds.
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Canton and Abby Richardson each scored 13 points for the Blazer JV, which lost for the first time in five games.
Lady Warriors 64, College of St. Benedict JV 62
St. Benedict JV (4-1) 34 28 -- 62
Ridgewater (8-3) 33 31 -- 64
ST. BENEDICT JV - 25-65 FG (5-20 3-pt); 7-11 FT; 40 rebounds; 22 fouls ... Scoring: Anne Kuduk 5-9 1-3 12, Caitlin Ries 5-7 1-1 11, Abby Richardson 5-15 2-2 13, Heidi Kjolhaug 1-10 0-0 2, Laura Canton 5-8 1-1 13, Betsy Hutchinson 1-4 1-2 3, Ashley Schleper 2-7 0-0 5, Alyssa Kubesh 0-2 1-2 1, Sarah Duea 1-3 0-0 2... 3-point shots: Kuduk 1, Richardson 1, Canton 2, Schleper 1 ... Rebound leaders: Canton 6, Kubesh 5 ... Assist leaders: Richardson 3 ... Steal leaders: Kuduk 3, Ries 3, Kjolhaug 3 ... Blocked shots: Canton 2
RIDGEWATER - 22-53 FG (1-3 3-pt); 19-27 FT; 38 rebounds; 15 fouls ... Scoring: Bridget Boehlke 2-6 0-0 4, Patina Queenan 3-5 7-8 13, Danielle Goeman 3-4 0-0 6, Tara Thielke 2-5 3-6 8, Emily Mathiowetz 1-4 1-1 3, Hilary Groothuis 8-22 5-8 21, Britney Glisczinski 5, Lisa Nielsen 1-3 2-2 4 ... 3-point shots: Thielke 1 ... Rebound leaders: Groothuis 14, Queenan 4, Thielke 4, Glisczinski 4, Nielsen 4 ... Assist leaders: Thielke 4, Mathiowetz 4, Groothuis 4 ... Steal leaders: Glisczinski 5. Thielke 7 .... Blocked shots: Groothuis 2, Nielsen 2
