Williams' Buzzer-Beater Propels Vikings to Victory

The Dana College women's basketball team was seeking revenge Wednesday night as Nebraska Wesleyan came to town.  The Prairie Wolves had defeated the Vikings 56-54 in Lincoln on Nov. 28. Chelsey Williams (JR, Tabor, Iowa) provided the late-game heroics this time for the Vikings, converting a Tricia Trotter (SO, Treynor, Iowa) miss into a lay-up at the buzzer to win, 57-56.

Trailing 6-4 early on, Megan Parker (JR, Sloan, Iowa) came off the bench and scored six of the next eight Viking points, cutting the Wesleyan lead to two.  Dana continued on a 13-2 run to take a 25-16 lead with 4:17 remaining in the first half.  The Vikings led 29-26 at halftime.

Dana came out strong in the second half, pushing the lead to eight on a three-point play by Williams. The Prairie Wolves responded with a 16-4 run of their own over the next eight minutes to take a 44-40 lead.  The last five minutes of the game were back and forth as each team captured and lost the lead.  
 
The game was tied at 54-54 with one minute remaining. After a Williams’ free throw put the Vikings ahead by one, Wesleyan guard Devan Aschtgen made a lay-up and was fouled on the play.  She missed the free throw, giving the Vikings a chance to win on the last possession.  Trotter received the inbounds pass and missed the jump shot, but Williams grabbed the rebound and put-back the game winner at the buzzer for a 57-56 Dana victory.

The Vikings were led by Willams' 18-point effort.  Amanda Bryant (JR, Treynor, Iowa) was the only other Viking in double figures with 13 points and four rebounds.  Amy Nichol (SR, Des Moines, Iowa) had six points and a game-high 11 rebounds in the win.  

Dana improves to 8-16 on the season, 3-9 Great Plains Athletic Conference, while the Prairie Wolves fall to 5-13 overall and 2-9 in the GPAC. The Vikings will travel to Yankton, S.D., on Saturday to take on the Mount Marty Lancers (10-10, 4-7 GPAC).  Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
Story written by TJ Bartels, Sports Information Intern.  For more information, please contact Shad Beam, Sports Information Director at 402-426-7389 or sbeam@dana.edu.