MLC women advance to UMAC final four

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- It was a game the Martin Luther Knights really needed.

Not just because a win kept their season alive. And not just because it was a win following four straight losses.

Primarily, it was a game the Knights needed because they played well. Lifting themselves out of their offensive doldrums, the third-seeded Knights handed the No. 6 seed Crown Storm a 72-59 loss Tuesday night in a play-in game of the women's UMAC tournament.

It was the third time the Knights have beaten the Storm this season.

"This was the third time we played them, I think our girls were pretty loose about it," MLC coach Gene Pfeifer said. "I was happy with our offense. ... I was really happy in the first half. Our posts scored quite a few points. That nice to see, that our posts are getting some touches."

MLC (9-10) had averaged a dismal 33 percent from the field during its four-game skid. Against Crown (6-10) the Knights shot a season-high 56.1 percent.

"We've come off a lot of hard games," MLC junior guard Annie Uecker said. "We've had a game, a day off, game, day off for quite a few days. That takes its toll. We knew that we could beat them, we knew that we could play well. It was a confidence booster."

Getting the posts involved was one way to improve the Knights' offensive confidence. Senior Sarah Scharf scored 13 points for MLC, 10 in the first half.

"It was the guard play," Scharf said. "They were doing a great job of getting the ball to me and to the other posts. That's what makes it all happen.

"Coach (Pfeifer) has been stressing that we should have more post touches. I think the guards were looking to get it into the posts when we're open and when we got a good post-up. I think we also recognized that their posts were a little bit shorter."

Beth Ebeling also capitalized inside for the Knights. The 6-foot freshman was 6-for-8 from the field and finished with 12 points -- one of four Knights to score in double figures.

MLC balanced its production, getting 14 points from junior Becky Pate and 12 from Uecker. In the second half, with Crown taking away some production from MLC's post players, Pate and Uecker stepped up theirs, Uecker scoring scoring seven in the final 20 minutes, including a 3 from the right wing just 28 seconds into the second half.

Uecker's 3 to start the scoring in the second half may have been the boost that kept the Storm from getting back into the game. After a 16-6 MLC run gave the Knights a 33-20 lead with less than seven minutes to play in the first half, the Storm responded with a streak of their own.

Crown trailed 35-22 before running off three straight baskets, the last coming from Joylin Womeldorf inside with 1:20 in the first half to cut MLC's margin to 35-28. But the Storm couldn't move any closer; Uecker hit an 18-footer from the left wing and Scharf scored inside with just seven seconds in the first half to give MLC a 39-28 margin.

Uecker's 3 to start the second half stifled any Crown momentum and the Knights kept their lead in double figures the rest of the game. MLC's biggest lead was 22 points.

Womeldorf and Sara Kurka each had 16 points to lead Crown. Kasey Pust added 14 for the Storm.

The Knights, however, were not left without things to work on. MLC surrendered 17 offensive rebounds in the game, including 10 in the first half.

"I've got to see the tape to see what's going on on the boxing out, I'm not sure what's going on with the rebounding," Pfeifer said. "My guess is we're not rotating down. Somebody's getting beat and then our guards aren't rotating down to pick up the loose person under the basket."

Added Scharf: "We played quite a few different defenses in this game. Maybe some people were in the wrong position for the defensive board. We've just got to make sure that we rotate down and take care of those girls and get them out of there."