Top-10 Ranked Trojans Topple V-Hawks

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Women's Basketball team hosted #9 Dakota State University (SD) on Friday night, but fell to the Trojans, 77-57. The V-Hawks fall to 8-10 (3-4 NSAA), while DSU improves to 18-4 (7-0 NSAA).

Dakota State jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game before Nicole Johnson's put-back got the V-Hawks on the board. Macy Stellner nailed a three, followed by another Johnson layup, but the Trojans continued to extend their lead. After a Marley Hughes layup, Gina Stefferud scored to end the period, the V-Hawks trialing 15-22.

DSU scored the first seven points of the second, but Viterbo responded with their own run off two Nora Tucker free throws, a Johnson jumper, and an Emma Wagner triple. Johnson continued to lead the offense with another layup and free throw, and Stefferud was the last to score again, Dakota State leading 44-31 at the half.

Dakota State started the third quarter on another run, scoring nine points to three from Viterbo, another Wagner three. Emily McCurdy converted a pair of layups for the V-Hawks, and Pearla Teko-Folly added two points, but Viterbo could not close the deficit on the Trojans, trailing by 22 going into the final period.

Madison Hugdahl started the second with a jumper, but DSU scored seven more points before the V-Hawks recorded another bucket, this time a jumper form McCurdy. Stellner converted an and-one, while Hugdahl hit a three to end the game, final score 77-57.

Johnson led the V-Hawks with 11 points, and three V-Hawks had eight. Savannah Walsdorf led all players with 22 points.

The Trojans shot 43.1% from the field, while Viterbo was at 40%, but the difference came form turnovers, as DSU scored 32 points off Viterbo's giveaways, while the V-Hawks had only two of takeaways.

The V-Hawks return to action on Saturday, February 3 as they host Bellevue University.