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Have you ever jumped in
your car and headed out on the highway, not really knowing where you
were going? If not, let’s think about it for a little while. You
get in your car, which is loaded with a few necessities, start the
ignition and take off down the highway. You are not sure where you
are going, but you will know your final destination once you reach
it. The sheer
anticipation of your final destination can be enough to keep
fatigue, doubt and all obstacles far from your mind.
Dakota State University’s
women’s basketball program has just completed a journey very
similar to the one that you just took. A few years ago they
started on a journey that was filled with many obstacles. It would
have been very easy for them to give up and head home, but they
kept their eyes on the road toward the horizon and the rising sun.
Unlike your journey, they did not start off with all of the
necessities. It took years of hard work, dedication, and courage
to build up the right combination of factors which would lead to
their success.
The
Lady T’s women’s basketball team has completed its most
successful season in a decade.
The 1999-2000 squad shared the final South Dakota-Iowa
Conference title with S.D. Tech, compiling a 10-4 league mark.
Then, in the SDIC post-season tournament, DSU posted wins
over Mt. Marty (79-61) and S.D. Tech (79-71).
This is the first SDIC tournament championship for DSU
since a change in playoff formats in 1995.
With this win, the Lady T’s gained their first ever
automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Sioux
City, IA, and the road grew longer.
Receiving
an 11th seed, DSU found its first obstacle in the
National Tournament in St.
Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.). Aquinas
finished the regular season 18-6 and was the number one
three-point shooting team in the country.
Their shooting guard, Jackie DeNuzzo, was also the
nation’s leading three-point shooter.
With a stifling defense, strong post play, and dominating
rebounding, DSU posted a 74-55 win. Sheila Haack led the Lady T’s with 22 points on 9-10
shooting from the field while Dakota State out rebounded Aquinas
56-31. The win put
Dakota State in the “Sweet Sixteen” round against the host
team,#6 seed Briar Cliff College, and a little closer to their
destination. DSU had beaten Briar Cliff in December 92-88 in
overtime in Madison.
This
game was not to be a repeat of the scoring spree earlier in the
year. The defenses
for both teams dominated. DSU’s
largest lead in the game was five points while Briar Cliff led by
seven midway through the second half.
There were thirteen lead changes and nine ties in the game.
With eight minutes remaining in the game, Briar Cliff moved
out to a seven point lead. DSU
came storming back with two consecutive three-points baskets by
Kathy Shypulski and a lay-up by Sheila Haack to take a one-point
lead. DSU extended
that lead to five points with two minutes remaining but BC went on
a 7-0 run to take the lead with 0:47 seconds remaining.
After a timeout, the Lady T’s found Krista Peterson open
on the left wing for a three-point basket and DSU was back on top
by one. After a missed shot by the Chargers, DSU was fouled and
Peterson put in two freethrows to go up by one.
One last chance for Briar Cliff failed to result in any
points and Dakota State had a 58-54 win.
Kathy Shypulski led the Lady T’s in scoring with 16
points while Sheila Haack grabbed a team high 13 rebounds.
In
its first ever “Elite Eight” appearance, DSU was feeling the
effects of the relentless pressure Briar Cliff had put on them the
previous night. Northwest
Nazarene (ID) also pressured the Lady T’s and forced 27
turnovers. DSU
trailed most of the game but made one final run late in the second
half to close the score to 46-47.
From then on, however, NW Nazarene ran off 23 points to
only 9 for Dakota State and the magical trip was over for DSU.
 |
 |
 |
| Kathy
Shypulski |
Sheila
Haack |
Heidi
Honermann |
The
Lady T’s finished 25-8 (a school record for wins) and won eleven
of their last thirteen games.
Two players were named to the SDIC All-Conference team.
Kathy Shypulski, a junior from Blaine, MN, was named to the
first team while senior center Sheila Haack was a second team
choice. DSU had three
Academic All-Americans: senior
Sheila Haack and juniors Kathy Shypulski and Heidi Honermann.
Kathy Shypulski was also named an Honorable Mention
All-American.
The
Lady T’s journey did not start this year, but many years ago.
Although it may seem like they have reached their final
destination they have only begun. With the support of family,
friends and the greatest fans in the nation, the Lady T’s plan
on chasing the horizon and everything beyond.
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