ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Playing for the first time outside of Friedrich Arena, the Bulldogs drove to Orange City to face the Red Raiders on Saturday evening (Nov. 18). After a turnover driven affair in the first quarter, Concordia started to strike from long range hitting 10 of their 11 total three-pointers in the second and third, pulling away in the 77-69 win over Northwestern. Abby Krieser was a instrumental in the mid quarters run, scoring 16 of her 24 career high points in the offensively dominant stretch. Kendal Brigham threw logs on the offensive fire, tallying 17 points with three from the perimeter, as Taysha Rushton added 12 points and five steals.
CUNE stays unbeaten with a 4-0 overall record and a 2-0 conference record early in the 2023-24 season. Head Coach Drew Olson commented on the quality runs in the game and learning how to finish well.
“It’s a great win on the road. I felt like we had some spurts of excellence. We had some unbelievable runs at times but at the same time, we left the game with a sour taste in our mouth. We have to start finishing games better. This game was over with four minutes left, and we let them back in the game. We got to get stops but we’re still learning and growing. That’s a good thing.”
Both teams combined for 15 total turnovers in the first quarter limiting quality offensive possessions through the first 10 minutes of play.
Tied at 18 in the second quarter, the Bulldogs went on a 14-4 run started by a Krieser layup and a Brigham three-pointer to create separation from the Red Raiders. Krieser, the Lincoln, Neb. product, led the run with eight, as Kendall Brigham drained two from downtown.
The teams evened out (7-6 CU) in the last possessions before the halftime break but in the final minute, Kristin Vieselmeyer drained her second of three from three-point range. Her 11 point double digit performance kept the Bulldogs ahead, as she hit her last trey in the opening minutes of the second half, shooting 80 percent (4-5 FG) from the field.
“Flash” Brigham controlled the rock in the 7th minute of the third, scoring seven straight points in a 7-2 run on three baskets. Krieser picked back up soon after Brigham extending the run with back-to-back three pointers (4-8 3-PT total), pushing the lead to fourteen before the final 10 minutes. Olson spoke about the performance of Krieser and Brigham after the matchup.
“She (Krieser) continues to get better and today she saw how great she could be in different ways. She is good defensively, can shoot the ball and can get to the rim. Everybody comments on ‘how fast is she (Brigham)?’ She is so selfless to come off the bench and we have more than five starters in my opinion.”
With 6:54 to play, Taysha Rushton started the final run (8-1) with a bucket in her 50 percent (4-8 FG) double digit shooting performance on the night. Abby Heemstra and Krieser would finish the spurt with layups, pushing toward their largest lead of the game (19).
In the final minutes, Northwestern went on a 13-0 run, leaving the ‘sour taste’ Coach Olson talked about after the match. Rushton and Krieser hit free throws after being fouled into the bonus to put the game completely in the hands of the visitors.
Concordia (4-0, 2-0 GPAC) will continue their three-game road stretch with a bout against College of Saint Mary (1-3, 0-1 GPAC) on Tuesday (Nov. 21). First whistle is slated for 6 p.m. in the Lied Fitness Center. The Bulldogs went 2-0 against the Flames last season, totaling a 42 point advantage in the two meetings.