December 11, 2006

Women’s Basketball Split at Home

Blair, Nebraska ~ The Dana College Women’s Basketball team finished a pre-holiday home stand with a 1-1 record.  The Vikings dumped Nebraska Wesleyan on Tuesday 73-59, but fell to Mt. Marty 56-54 on Saturday.

Earlier in the week, Dana was looking for a bit of revenge against Nebraska Wesleyan.  The Prairie Wolves took two match-ups last season against the Vikings.  This season would prove something different.

Coach Mechels’ troops opened the game on a 7-0 run and never looked back.  Amanda Bryant (SO, Treynor, IA) opened what would be a strong game by grabbing two rebounds and then scoring on consecutive lay-ups.  Dana would continue to dominate the interior of the NWU defense as Allie Lamb (SO, North English, IA) added three free throw makes in the opening period.

The second half saw the Vikings stretch their lead to as much as many as 17 points.  The Vikings reared their height advantage and dominated the offensive glass.  Dana scored many of their second half points on second and third chance attempts.  Amy Nichol (JR, Des Moines, IA) pulled down two offensive rebounds and dished out three assists in a two minute span midway through the second period as the Vikings stretched their lead.    Nebraska Wesleyan could not find a way to circumvent the Dana pressure.  Jennifer Endres (JR, Lincoln, NE) topped off the Viking victory as she sank one of two free throws in the closing 30 seconds and then pulled down the rebound of a desperation shot by NWU. 

Dana held a 42-29 rebounding margin in the match up.  More impressively was that Dana pulled down 15 offensive rebounds.  Many of those offensive rebounds lead to second chance scoring opportunities.  Dana held NWU to under 34-percent shooting on the afternoon and shot over 50-percent themselves.  The Vikings forced Nebraska Wesleyan into 22 turnovers, but committed 27 themselves.  This would be something that would lead into trouble later in the week. 

Amanda Bryant and Allie Lamb had monster games for Dana.  Bryant had 13 points, eight rebounds, and had four blocks.  Lamb led all scorers with 21 points and pulled down ten rebounds.  Tricia Trotter (FR, Treynor, IA) had 13 points on five of ten shooting.  Jennifer Endres was the forth Viking in double digit scoring with 12.  Endres also pulled down five rebounds.

Saturdays’ game against one of the surprise GPAC teams of the year would prove not to be an easy match-up for Dana.  The Vikings continued to have turn-over trouble and it cost them as Mt. Marty escaped with a two point win.

The first half would not prove to be a pretty one for the Vikings.  The Lancers forced the home team into 16 first half turnovers and challenged the Vikings on the offensive glass.  Mt. Marty found a way to capitalize on almost every Dana mistake in the opening period.  Things could have been much worse for Dana, except for the play of Jennifer Endres and Amanda Bryant.

Endres pulled down six first half rebounds to keep the Vikings close.  Amanda Bryant was looked to be the lone Viking with a scoring touch in the opening period as she put in a game high ten points in the half. 

Coach Mechels’ squad found themselves during halftime and came out ready to make a game of it.  Amanda Bryant helped to whittle the lead down to one point as she hit one of two free throws.  This was as close as Dana would get.  The Vikings passed up an open look at a game winning three-pointer with 15 seconds left on the clock.  The Vikings also missed three chances in the closing five seconds to tie the game up.

Amanda Bryant led the Vikings with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.  Jennifer Endres scored two points, but pulled down a game high eight rebounds.  Allie Lamb pulled down six rebounds and 12 points.  Tricia Trotter continued her solid play with 11 points.  Heidi Gowery (FR, St. Helena, NE) had a season high seven steals on the afternoon.

Dana is now 5-6 overall and just 1-5 in GPAC play.  The Vikings currently stand in eleventh place in the 13 team conference standings.  Dana will play three more games before the close of 2006.  Dana will travel to Grinnell, Iowa on Saturday, December 16 to take on Grinnell College.  Right before New Year’s, Dana will take part in the Grand View College Tournament in Des Moines, IA.  The Vikings will take on host Grand View College on December 29^th at 8:00pm and then William Penn University the next day at 2:00pm.  

For more information, contact:


Shad Beam, sports information director, (402) 426-7389, sbeam@dana.edu

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Scott Guzinski, assistant Sports Information Director, (402) 426-7949, sguzinsk@dana.edu