Lady T's Run Table on Tech Women
By Jeff Easton
Rapid City Journal Sports Writer

     RAPID CITY -- Production under pressure. On Saturday, Dakota State got it and South Dakota Tech didn't.

     Heidi Honerman and Amy Balk combined to score the final 11 points of the game for the Lady T's as Dakota State held off the Hardrockers 68-61 to grab a critical DAC-10 win at Goodell Gymnasium.  The win gave the Lady T's (14-6, 7-2), losers at Black Hills State on Friday, a split on a road trip that traditionally hasn't been kind to them.

     "You win on this trip and it's big," said Dakota State coach Jeff Dittman. "And it usually has a lot of weight on whether you are in the race for the conference championship at the end of the year."

     Honerman hit two critical three-pointers under pressure as the game hung in the balance in the final two minutes of play. Falk, a freshman point guard, assisted on both baskets and she followed up by hitting 5 of 6 free throws in the final minute to seal the game.

     "Amy was able to get penetration and Heidi did what a senior is supposed to do. She stepped up and hit the threes," Dittman said. "And we switched up to man defense and it bothered Tech."  The Lady T's outscored the Hardrockers 11-2 during the stretch. Tech was forced to take a couple tough shots in traffic and suffered two turnovers in the 90 seconds.

     "We played a good, solid defensive game," said Tech coach Barb Felderman. "We got them down on the shot clock, but they found an opening or drew a foul."

     The Hardrockers, who appeared a little leg weary after their overtime victory against Huron on Friday, were down eight when Miaken Zeigler picked a fine time to be a fabulous freshman. The Sturgis native hit a basket, assisted on two more before closing an 11-0 Tech run with a three-pointer, giving Tech a 40-37 lead.

     "She's learning to find the holes," Felderman said of Zeigler, who closed with 15 points. "She can shoot the outside shot and she can penetrate."

     But Dakota State weathered the run and the Lady T's took advantage of the free throw line in the late going. Dakota State, which went 24 for 37 from the charity stripe overall, hit 15 of 20 free throws in the final 10 minutes of play.

     "We got things going and we got a nice lead," Felderman said, "but then the fouls started to rack up and that took its toll."

Heidi Honermann		Amy Balk	Erin Nielsen

     Honerman scored 18 points to lead Dakota State, which plays at Jamestown College and the University of Mary next weekend. Balk made 11 of 14 free throws and had 17 points. Erin Nielsen added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

     Marissa Richards and Zeigler led Tech (4-5, 7-10) with 15 points each. Krystal Kubas chipped in 11 points and Jaime Rathjen had 10 for the Lady Hardrockers, who shot 32 percent from the field on the night.

     Tech is on the road for DAC-10 games at Dickinson State and Minot State next weekend.