The Briar Cliff women's basketball team can now officially add GPAC Postseason Tournament Champions to their record book. In their program's first conference championship appearance, the No. 2 seeded Chargers handed No. 1 Dordt their first loss inside DeWitt Gym 86-69.
In head coach
Brian Ortmeier's first year leading the squad, Briar Cliff has complied an overall record of 24-7 (17-5). The Chargers have found their stride at the right time, posting seven straight victories on their way to tonight's championship.
A game against the No. 4 ranked team in the NAIA, who entered undefeated in their home gym, it would take a 40-minute effort. The Chargers delivered by winning the first and fourth quarters by a combined 18-points, while holding off Dordt runs in the second and third quarters.
Madelyn Deitchler scored the game's first points, followed by a Dordt bucket to tie the game. Briar Cliff regained the advantage on the ensuing possession with a
Konnor Sudmann basket and would hold the lead throughout until the game clock displayed zeros.
Leading 9-7 with five minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Blue and Gold poured in 22 points to close the period and grabbed a nine-point lead. Five different Chargers scored over that span, led by
Payton Slaughter's seven points. Two steals from Slaughter in the final minute, which led to BC buckets, fueled an 8-0 run that continued into the second quarter.
The Chargers were red-hot in the opening period, sinking 12-of-17 field goal attempts with six assists, 3-of-4 from deep and 4-of-5 from the free throw line.
Five straight points from
Kennedy Benne in the second quarter gave BC their largest lead of the half, 46-40. The Defenders answered with a 9-2 run to close the first, as BC entered the intermission with a 48-39 edge.
Slaughter poured in 13 first half points with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and went 5-for-7 from the field.
Peyton Wingert added nine points, four rebounds, while
Kaegan Held was a perfect 3-for-3 with six points off the BC bench.
Dordt continued to battle, cutting their deficit to six points midway through the third quarter. A timely 3-pointer from
Cadence Davis at the 3:16 mark of the quarter brought the BC lead back up to double-digits.
In the most important quarter of the season thus far, the Chargers dominated the fourth quarter by shooting 72.7% from the field, 3-for-4 from deep and knocking down five free throws.
The lead dipped below double-digits for just a moment, after a Karly Gustafson basket, but a Slaughter jumper shortly after gave BC a 67-56 lead. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Wingert and Sudmann pushed the lead to 19 points, the largest of the nigh with 2:34 remaining. The Charger starting five scored 22 of the 24 fourth quarter points, and 75 of the 86 total points.
Slaughter tied her season high point total tonight with and stuffed the stat sheet with eight rebounds, two steals and two assists on 9-for-13 shooting.
Sudmann poured in an efficient 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting and was 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Wingert added 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists, while Deitchler had 12 points, seven boards and three assists.
The Chargers shot 58.2% from the field, 62.5% from deep with 10 3-pointers, and 70.6% from the free throw line. They scored 36 points in the paint, 20 points off turnovers and had seven second chance points.
Next up the Chargers is the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round. Briar Cliff will learn who and where they play in the opening round during the NAIA Women's Basketball Selection Show Thursday at 6 p.m.
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