MAYVILLE, ND – The Comets were able to complete the weekend sweep at home with the win over Viterbo on Saturday afternoon, defeating the V-Hawks 72-51 and moving Mayville State to 3-0 in North Star games so far this season. 

It wasn't the prettiest win of the season for the Comets, but the defensive pressure helped carry the team through times where the offense struggled to put points on the board. 

"We had another solid defensive effort," said Head Coach Dennis Hutter after the win. "I thought the kids played hard. We did not shoot the ball well tonight, but that is to be expected on the second night of a back-to-back weekend."

Kylee Heurung was able to get the Comets started on Saturday by scoring eight of the first ten points of the game for Mayville State. The energy and effort from the junior out of Brainerd, Minn. helped set the pace for the team throughout the afternoon and was a crucial reason the team was able to build a lead and give them their fifth straight win this season. 

Viterbo's Sophe Leinfelder and Natalia Leguizamon made things hard on the Comets early in the game, Leguizamon was able to get a steal and a bucket with just under two minutes in the first quarter to give the V-Hawks a 19-15 lead. MSU responded with a 3-point play from Nicole Bunting and three made free throws from Claire Blascziek in the final minute of the first to give them a 21-19 lead at the quarter break. 

The Comets were able to come out in the second quarter with a 9-0 run after Jordan Zrust, Taylor Shamp and Claire Blascziek provided the offense early and built a double-digit lead that remained for much of the first half. Viterbo responded with baskets from Leguizamon and Leifelder in the final two minutes of the quarter to bring them within five, but Jordan Zrust hit a shot before the buzzer to give MSU a 36-29 lead going into halftime. 

A Claire Blascziek 3-pointer right out of the gates in the second half set the tone for the remainder of the game between the two North Star opponents. Blascziek and the Comets started hitting shots and slowly widened the gap between them and the V-Hawks in the third quarter. A 3-point play from Taylor Shamp and a quick Jordan Zrust bucket helped build the lead to 15 with a minute and a half to play in the third.

The Comet defense really clamped down in the fourth quarter, only allowing nine points to Viterbo in the final frame. Kylee Heurung was able to complete a 3-point play to start the fourth and give MSU an 18-point lead, Taylor Skjordal and Cyan Hale added bucketsof their own, and a Jordan Zrust 3-pointer with 4:41 to play gave the team a 23-point lead and helped the Comets cruise to a 72-51 victory on Saturday afternoon.  

Mayville State ended the game with four players scoring in double figures. Claire Blascziek and Kylee Heurung led the team with 15 points each, Heurung also grabbed ten rebounds on the day for a double-double effort. Taylor Shamp had a nice day with eleven points and seven rebounds, and Jordan Zrust added another ten points and six boards for the Comets. 

Alyssa Nilssen led the way for Viterbo with 15 points and eleven rebounds. Sophie Leinfelder added eleven points and Natalia Leguizamon put in another ten to round out the V-Hawks' leading scorers. 

The Comets will be on the road next weekend for two more North Star matchups when they travel to Madison, S.D. on Friday for a game against Dakota State, then to Bellevue, Neb. for a showdown with the Bellevue Bruins on Saturday afternoon.