Moberly Area Outlasts Reivers in Central District Final

Council Bluffs, Iowa

A hard fought season hit a road block Friday night at Reiver Arena.  After a convincing Region Title clinching victory over Northeast last weekend, IWCC had no answer for a Moberly Area squad dead set on a trip to Lubbock.  

A back and forth 1st quarter saw the Reivers jump out to an early lead on a pair of threes by freshman Hayley Berfield and sophomore Sommer Blakemore, but IWCC would manage just one more field goal, a lay-up by Bella Sparaco the rest of the period.  Sparaco added a free throw and Arielle McElroy added another pair to keep the Reivers down just a point after a quarter of play.

In the 2nd, Moberly Area took control as the Reivers managed just two field goals.  Eight turnovers and a deficit on the boards only compounded the advantage for MACC.  The Greyhounds took just as many shots as the home squad did, but shot an even 50 percent from the field, while IWCC shot only 16.7 percent.  The Reivers entered the break trailing by 12.

Both squads continued to play tenacious defense throughout the 3rd quarter.  Only six made baskets were recorded in the period as fouls mounted and the two teams combined for 24 free-throw attempts, 16 for MACC.  Six different Reivers scored two points in the quarter as Moberly Area's lead increased to 18 into the 4th.  During the 3rd, sophomore forward Britney Epperson was injured in a play that quieted Reiver Arena.  While making a move in the paint, Greyhounds forward B'Aunce Carter inadvertently elbowed the Aussie in the face, before officials called Epperson for her 5th foul to send Carter to the line.  The game was delayed more than 20 minutes while the rescue squad was called as a precautionary meaure.  After Epperson was taken off by EMTs to applause from her teammates and those inside Reiver Arena, the team appeared determined to fight until the end.

After a quick start in the 4th, including threes for Dustie Obah and Berfield, reduced the MACC lead to 11, the Reivers ran out of good fortune.  Both teams traded baskets from the floor and the line as the Reivers could never reduce the lead further.  Berfield added nine of her team high 14 in the quarter, while Dustie Obah added six of her 10 points in the thwarted comeback.  

In the game, the Reivers shot just 25.5% from the floor and could never get an offensive flow going with Moberly's pressure.  The two teams combined to shoot 79 free throws, making 48 of those attempts.  Nearly half of the Greyhounds 62 points came via the free throw line, aided by the Reivers efforts to stay in the game in the 4th quarter.

An obviously disappointed Head Coach Lindsey Vande Hoef added after the game, "I'm proud of these ladies for fighting to the very end.  We made some great plays late, but couldn't convert on them to put the pressure on Moberly.  Aside from the 2nd quarter, we were right in this game.  It's unfortunate we were unable to score, we couldn't hit those big shots we needed and we were missing some of our inside presence due to some foul trouble.  I'm very proud to be their coach, we have great kids, great representatives of Iowa Western.  I believe they all have very bright futures ahead of them and feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to coach them here at Iowa Western."

The win sends Moberly Area to the NJCAA National Tournament as the Central District Champion, while the Reivers will wait and watch.  The team is still eligible for an at-large berth, although it would appear that making it to the National Tournament would seem a long shot based on the overall resumes of other teams that are eligible at this time.

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