Balanced Attack Leads Warriors to Road Win at Mount Marty

YANKTON, S.D. – Midland University traveled to Yankton, South Dakota, for a conference matchup against Mount Marty University on Wednesday night. In a highly contested battle, the Warriors showed poise at the free-throw line, going 12-for-12 in the fourth quarter. Led by 20-point performances from Sarah Shepard and Jenna Weber, Midland earned a 92-83 victory.

"We got the ball to the right people in the right moments, and everyone stepped up to contribute," said head coach Chris Burks.

The Warriors started the game strong, blitzing to an 8-0 lead with six points from Shepard and a layup from Weber. The Lancers responded with a 9-0 run to take the lead with about four minutes remaining in the first quarter. Ellie Bovaird hit a three-pointer to regain the lead for Midland. Both teams traded scores down the stretch, and the game entered the second quarter tied at 19-19.

Shepard continued her hot start in the second quarter, going 4-for-4 from the field, including three three-pointers, to bring her first-half total to 17 points. However, Mount Marty stayed resilient, never allowing Midland to build more than a four-point lead. The Lancers ended the half on a 4-0 run, tying the game at 38-38 heading into halftime.

Midland came out strong in the third quarter, opening with an 8-0 run fueled by four free throws from Weber, a free throw from Erin Foxhall, and a three-pointer from Grace Holm. Mount Marty responded with two layups and a three-pointer to pull within one at 46-45 with 5:30 left in the quarter. The Warriors closed out the quarter with 15 points in the final five minutes, including three three-pointers from Weber, who finished the period with 16 points. Midland entered the fourth quarter leading 61-56.

Despite Midland's efforts to pull away, the Lancers stayed within striking distance, hitting a three-pointer to start the final quarter and narrow the deficit to two. The Warriors finally created some breathing room midway through the quarter, thanks to three points from Bovaird, four points from Foxhall, and eight points off the bench from Zoey Sims, building a 76-67 lead. Midland sealed the game by going a perfect 12-for-12 from the free-throw line in the final minutes to secure the 92-83 victory.

Two Warriors scored over 20 points, with Weber's 19-point second-half performance propelling her to a game-high 22 points. Shepard followed with 21 points, fueled by four first-half three-pointers. Foxhall recorded a double-double with 11 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while Bovaird contributed 15 points, four rebounds, and a team-leading three assists.

As a team, Midland shot 49.1% (27-for-55) from the field and 57.1% (12-for-21) from three-point range. The Warriors outrebounded the Lancers 31-25 and capitalized with 13 second-chance points compared to Mount Marty's two. The Lancers shot 46.5% (33-for-71) from the floor but struggled from beyond the arc, going 9-for-29.

"Tonight was the definition of a team win," Burks said. "We are really proud of our team and the effort they've been giving, especially over the past couple of weeks."

Midland (3-17, 3-11 GPAC) will look to build on this momentum on Saturday, January 25, when they travel to Sioux City, Iowa, to face fifth-ranked Briar Cliff (16-2, 10-2 GPAC). Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the Newman Flanagan Center.