(Ann Arbor, MI) Before Thanksgiving, the Cardinals were able to defend their home court by taking down the 22nd ranked Wolverines from UM-Dearborn. On Wednesday Concordia took to the court for another WHAC matchup, this time against the Warriors of Rochester University. Although Concordia held the lead for the entirety of the night, things were close for much of the game until the Cardinals broke away in the final quarter.
The Cardinal defense shined in their win, limiting the Warriors to 29.8% from the field and 20.0% from deep. This is the third time this season they have held a team to 30.0% shooting or less. Concordia had a 12 minute stretch in the third and fourth quarter where they did not allow a single point. The Cards forced a season high 28 turnovers and converted those into 27 points on the night. On offense, Concordia shot for 40.7% and made 35.0% of their three point attempts. Three players scored double digits for the Cardinals in J'may Simmons (15), Tris'styn Williams (13), and Katie Snow (10).
The Cardinals began the game shooting well, especially from deep as Aly Lenz, Samantha Dorn, and Katie Snow all sank a triple, with Lenz hitting two. This gave the Cards an early lead along with aggressive full court defense. Rochester struggled at times to break the Cardinal press and turned the ball over 7 times for 8 points. The only reason the game did not get out of reach was because of Concordia's turnovers in the first period.
The second quarter was sloppy on both sides of the court with more turnovers and inefficient shooting from both teams. J'may Simmons drained a shot from deep early in the quarter, but then the Warriors closed the gap between both sides thanks to more Cardinal errors. Lenz made a career high third triple, but the Warriors drew fouls from the Cardinals and shrunk the deficit to four going into the half.
Simmons became the Cardinals' main source of offense in the third period as she was able to make moves in the post and find open shots. Her efforts on one side of the ball were not able to outweigh the fouls committed by Concordia on defense which allowed Rochester back into the game. Rochester made it a one point game, but Snow scored a pair of hardfought baskets in the paint to widen the gap once again.
Sitting much of the third quarter because of foul trouble, Tris'styn Williams made an immediate impact in the fourth quarter with a bucket in the opening minute. Madison Birchmeier found herself open on the right wing and made a triple to add to the Cardinal lead. Birchmeier's three was followed by a Snow steal that led to a Williams fast break score. Following that score, the Cardinals did not look back, growing the lead to over 20 points at the end and only allowing just 5 Warrior points in the quarter.
This Saturday the Cards will travel South to Lourdes University for a 1:00 PM tipoff against the Gray Wolves.
