MAYVILLE, ND – It was a two-point win for Mayville State the last time the Comets and Dakota State met in Madison, S.D., so it was only fitting that the matchup at the Lewy Lee would be just as exciting.
And, for the return to Mayville for former assistant coach-turned-head coach David Moe, of Dakota State, along with his assistant, Jamal Branco, both Comet alums, it was exciting. Dakota State escaped the intense Lewy Lee Fieldhouse with a 84-66 win over the Comets, handing Mayville State their first home loss of the season and first conference loss of the season. Dating back to the 2017-2018 season, Saturday marked the first time a Comet team fell to Dakota State.
"They (Dakota State) played very well tonight," Comets head coach Dennis Hutter said. "They shot the ball well from the entire floor. We did not play with the same defensive effort and intensity that we played with Friday night."
Jessi Giles pulled Dakota State out to an early 2-0 lead just 17 seconds in, countered 23 seconds later with a Claire Blascziek three-pointer, which gave Mayville State their first lead of the contest, 3-2.
Sidney Fick came back down the court and drained a three-pointer of her own, giving Dakota State the 5-3 lead—starting the battle that would be the first half.
Nicole Bunting came down 11 seconds later, took a pass from Cyan Hale and found the basket from deep, and Mayville State took a 6-5 lead. Andrea Skillingstad, more than two minutes later, extended the lead to 8-5, only seconds before Fick tied the game again with a three-pointer on a pass from Ashlyn Macdonald.
Giles gave Dakota State the lead back, and Savannah Waldorf extended the lead to eight points, before Mayville State was able to cut into the lead on a Hale bucket down low. Olivia Breske took over, and extended the lead to 11 points with 2:41 to go on a three-pointer, set up by none other than Giles.
Hale then brought the lead back to within single digits with a three-pointer of her own, but then Giles and the Trojans went on a 5-0 run to extend the lead to double-digits with just over one minute to go in the first quarter.
The second quarter started with a quick three by Walsdorf, but then Kylee Heurung brought the game to within nine points on back-to-back free-throws and a bucket.
Walsdorf and Blascziek, with under eight minutes to go in the half, traded three-pointers, with Blascziek pulling the Comets to within single-digits yet again. A Bunting jumper made it a seven-point game with 6:56 to go in the half, but Dakota State dominated and took a 12-point lead into the halftime break.
Dakota State extended the lead, in the third quarter, to 19 points, before Mayville State was able to get on the scoreboard via a Heurung free-throw with 6:41 to go in the half.
Breske's three, with 2:18 to go in the third, eventually put Dakota State ahead by 20.
The fourth quarter was highlighted by back-to-back three pointers by Alissa Foster, the first of which pulled Mayville State to within 15 points.
Three Comets finished in double figures—Hale led with 20 points, Blascziek had 15 and Heurung finished with 12.
"We have to regroup and come back next week," Hutter said.
Mayville State will return to the floor Friday in La Crosse, Wisconsin, taking on the Viterbo V-Hawks. On Saturday, the Comets will travel to Forest City, Iowa, to take on the Bellevue Bruins.