MAYVILLE, ND – Friday night's game against the Concordia College Cobbers was a true test for the Mayville State University women's basketball team. The Comets were forced to battle back from a slow offensive start, but used a good second half to secure a nine-point, 62-51 win over the Cobbers at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse on Friday night. The win marks Mayville State's fifth straight at home.
 
"We didn't have any rhythm offensively tonight," head coach Dennis Hutter said.
 
On the other hand, Hutter says he did see positives in the game.
 
"They found a way to win," he said.
 
The first quarter remained scoreless until the 2:03 mark, when Andrea Skillingstad drained a pair of free throw shots, after being fouled by Concordia's Bailee Larson. Concordia tied it less than 30 seconds later on a bucket by Larson, who redeemed herself after the early foul on Skillingstad.
 
"Sometimes teams get in a funk where they don't play well offensively," Hutter said. "Basketball is a timing game."
 
The score remained 2-2 until just under five-and-a-half minutes were left in the quarter, when Concordia began to go on a run. Vanessa Kedl's bucket pulled the Cobbers to a 4-2 lead, the start of a 6-0 run that spanned just under two minutes. With Concordia ahead 8-2, Kylee Heurung took the ball to the hoop, scored on a layup.
 
Mary Sem scored a basket with 2:24 to go in the first quarter, which proved to be Concordia's final basket of the first quarter, which was marred with several missed shots by both teams. A pair of Taylor Shamp free throws with 28 seconds left brought Mayville State to within four points, 10-6, heading into the first quarter break.
 
Concordia continued to excel in the second quarter, pulling out to a nine-point lead just under two-and-a-half minutes into the quarter. A pair of Autumn Thompson buckets in the first minutes made the lead possible.
 
It took Mayville State nearly three minutes to get on the board in the second, but they were able to on a free throw by Heurung. Seconds later, Nicole Bunting responded with a big three, pulling Mayville State to within five points with 7:08 to go in the half.
 
Bunting came up big late in the half, with a three-point shot with 2:33 to go, which put Mayville State in the lead 20-18. Cyan Hale extended the lead to five with just under a minute left, but back-to-back-to-back free throws, on a foul by Heurung, pulled Concordia to within one point with 35-point-seven seconds left in the half. With time winding down, Claire Blascziek pulled up for a two, giving Mayville State the 24-21 lead at halftime.
 
Mayville State kept the lead until the 7:01 mark of the third quarter, when Mary Sem made one of two free throws, to put Concordia up 31-30. Comet freshman Jordan Zrust responded 19 seconds later with a bucket, giving Mayville State the lead again.
 
But, Concordia wouldn't go away.
 
Emily Beseman picked up Kedl's missed shot, scoring a bucket of her own, giving Concordia the lead, again, 33-32. She would extend the lead to 35-32 on a pair of free throws with just under five minutes left. The lead grew to seven, before Mayville State ended the streak.
 
Alissa Foster was waiting on a wing, found an open shot and pulled Mayville State to back within two points, 37-35, with 3:45 to go in the third quarter.
 
Then, Mayville State took another lead, on Blascziek's three pointer with 3:13 to go.
 
Concordia and Mayville State went back and forth, with the Cobbers regaining a tie with 37 seconds left on a Thompson shot. But, Mayville State's Heurung made sure the tie would not stay, as she put the Comets ahead in the closing moments of the third.
 
"We did not rebound well in the third quarter," Hutter said.
 
Mayville State outscored Concordia 17-8 in the fourth, led by a pair of threes—one each by Heurung and Blascziek.
 
Three Comets were in double figures in the scoring column. They were led by Heurung, who registered a double-double. She finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
 
"She (Heurung) has played well the last three weeks," Hutter said. "She makes winning plays. She has grown up in the last year-and-a-half."
 
Blascziek finished with 14 points, while Hale finished with 11 points.
 
Mayville State will take on the University of Mary Marauders in an exhibition on Saturday night at 6 p.m.
 
"We try to get our kids back-to-back games," Hutter said. "It's good to get them ready to play on back-to-back nights."