BISMARCK, ND – After Friday night's game against the Concordia College Cobbers, the #23 ranked Mayville State University Comets' head coach Dennis Hutter said the back-to-back nights would be a good test for the upcoming conference season. And a test it was, as the University of Mary Marauders used a 45-26 second half to lift themselves to a 83-57 win over Mayville State at the McDowell Activity Center, on the University of Mary campus, in Bismarck.
 
Mayville State started strong, as Kylee Heurung nailed a three with 4:27 to go in the first quarter, giving the Comets a four-point lead, 11-7. At the time, that was Mayville State's third lead of the night. But, the University of Mary made a comeback, pulling to within two points a couple of times. Mayville State, however, held the 22-18 lead heading into the second quarter, powered by 10 first quarter points by Taylor Shamp, including back-to-back buckets in less than 30 seconds in the closing 1:11 of the first quarter.
 
"I thought the kids battled tonight," Comets head coach Dennis Hutter said. "These exhibition games are good for us to work on some things. We are able to use a game and game settings to try and work on a few things."
 
Then, the Marauders took over. After Cassie Askvig closed the first quarter with a pair of free throws, Coral Gillette opened the second quarter with a three-pointer just nine seconds in, pulling the Marauders ahead 22-21 with a 5-0 run over a 36-second span. Mayville State stopped the run with a jumper by Andrea Skillingstad, her first points of the night, with 9:37 to go in the half, pulling the Comets ahead, again, 24-21.
 
Mayville State's Cyan Hale hit a free-throw two minutes into the second quarter, giving the Comets a four-point lead, 29-25, before the University of Mary took over.
 
A 7-0 run by the University of Mary, over a span of just under three minutes, pulled the Marauders ahead 32-29.  Hale answered with a layup with 4:18 to go in the half, but that basket was the last for the Comets, as they went the remainder of the first half without a basket, being outscored by the University of Mary 6-0 in the closing four minutes of the first half, taking a 38-31 deficit into the locker room at halftime.
 
"We really battled in the first half," Hutter said.
 
Heurung came out quick, streaking down the court and taking a pass from Claire Blascziek and scoring a bucket with just 11 seconds gone in the third quarter, cutting the lead to five, 38-33.
 
The Marauders then took over again, going on a 7-0 run in just under two minutes, taking a 45-33 lead. But, as Shamp did earlier, she came up big with a basket with 6:41 to go, her 12^th point of the night, cutting the lead to 10 points. That's as close as the Comets would get in the third quarter, as the Marauders went on a 15-6 run to end the third quarter ahead of the Comets 60-41.
 
Heurung again came out quick in the fourth, picking up a basket 10 seconds in, followed by a free throw seven seconds later, bringing the Comets to within 16 points with 9:43 left in the contest. But, as the University of Mary did earlier, Lauren Rotunda and Askvig teamed up for four straight points, extending the lead again. A 7-0 run by the Comets, led by Alissa Foster's three with 7:44 to go, pulled Mayville State to within a 64-51 deficit, but the University of Mary continued to respond.
 
Mayville State went nearly three-and-a-half minutes without scoring after Heather Elfering's jumper with 4:16 to go pulled the Comets to within 16 points. The University of Mary went on a 10-0 run, snapped by Erin Walcker's pair of free throws with 42 seconds to go, the last points Mayville State would get in the contest. Anna Michaud's layup with six seconds left sealed the convincing win for the University of Mary.
 
"We got a little tired in the second half," Hutter said. "But, I'm proud of the kids and their effort tonight."
 
Two Comets finished with double-figures in the scoring column—Heurung with 14 and Shamp with 12 points.
 
Mayville State ended the game shooting 50 percent from the field, compared to the University of Mary, who shot 45-point-8 percent from the field in the contest. Mayville State committed 30 turnovers in the contest.
 
The Comets will continue the exhibition portion of their schedule on Friday, as they travel to Bemidji, Minn., to take on the Bemidji State University Beavers. The tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the BSU Gymnasium.