Mayville State Trips Lady T's in OT
in DAC-10 Women's Playoffs' Semis
By Dan Holsworth
Madison Daily Leader

Mayville State hung around the DSU Fieldhouse long enough Sunday to hand Dakota State University's Lady Trojans a 79-74 overtime loss in a DAC-10 Women's Playoffs semifinal basketball clash.      Mayville's hopes stayed alive for a possible berth in the upcoming NAIA Div. II Women's Tournament at Sioux City in March.  DSU, 22-8, claimed the DAC-10 Conference title earlier this month to sew up a national tournament berth.      DSU had barely beaten Mayville (17-13) twice during regular-season play. The Lady T's (22-8) collected those two victories by a three-point total.  On Feb. 3, the Lady T's outlasted Mayille State 65-63 in another overtime affair, and on Jan. 4 in Mayville, the spread was just 67-66.      DSU and Mayville played to a 37-all halftime knot.

DSU's Amy Balk (center, light uniform) and Heidi Honermann (10) battle for a rebound underneath the Lady T's bucket in Sunday's 79-74 DAC-10 Women's Playoffs' overtime loss to Mayville.

     "Mayville shot 16 free throws in the first half and made 15, and we shot only one," added Dittman. "We were playing well defensively but gave up too many free throws, which kept them in the game."

     The Lady T's constructed what then seemed to be decent leads against Mayville in the first half, only to have Mayville come back at the Lady T's.  "I thought the key for us was our first half," admitted Dittman. "We had opportunities to build a lead in the first half, but weren't able to take advantage of them. We got lay-ups and missed them. We got an early lead by penetrating and finding the open player the first eight minutes, but then began settling for jump shots the remainder of the half."

     Both teams scoring 33 points in the game's second half, nothing was decided at the end of regulation with the game tied 70-70.  "The second half featured two teams battling for every possession," added Dittman. "I thought both teams played well."

     Mayville outscored the Lady T's 9-4 in the extra period as Jenny Byers, who scored half of Mayville's six 3-pointers, made her last one count for the Lady Comets. Mayville also got a pair of timely free throws from Lisa O'Keefe and a two-point field goal from Kassy Anderson before she fouled out of the game.

     Mayville's offense got a big 29-point, 12-rebound lift by Melissa Charboneau, who went 13-of-24 from the field. Anderson added 18 counters and Byers 11 to the Lady Comets' totals.  Lindsey Eliason added seven assists for Mayville.

     "The difference for us was that we couldn't contain Melissa Charboneau," said Dittman. "I counted six times that we played her perfectly, forced her to take a tough shot with a hand in her face, but she still hit the basket. Her 29 points and 12 rebounds were key because it forced us to give her extra attention, which opened up other options for Mayville."

     DSU could muster just a field goal by Kathy Shypulski and a pair of free toss successes by Jennie Sonne in the second half.

     Essentially, Mayville won the game at the charity stripe, outscoring the Lady T's 19-11 at the line with DSU being whistled 20 times in the game. Mayville drew just 17 fouls.

     The Lady T's had a 29-27 edge in field goals, despite being outscored 6-5 in "treys" by Mayville.  Each team had 35 rebounds in the contest.

     Leading DSU's offense were Sonne and Jessica Honermann, who had 19-point scoring nights, while Shypulski wound up with 14 and Heidi Honermann 12.  The two Honermanns each had six rebounds, while Shypulski handed out seven assists.

     DSU is slated to receive its opponent's name, date and time assignment for the NAIA National Tournament on Thursday. Mayville has to play Huron University, 69-61 victors over Dickinson State in the other DAC-10 semifinal, on Wednesday for another national tournament berth assignment.

     The NAIA Tournament's first-round games are slated for March 7-8.

     
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