Mustangs Top V-Hawks in Hawaii

HILO, Hawaii – The Viterbo University Women's Basketball team lost their first game at the UH-Hilo Big Island Holiday Classics to Morningside University (Iowa) 68-55. The V-Hawks fall to 2-9 while the Mustangs improve to 6-5.

Sophie Leinfelder's layup gave the V-Hawks a 5-4 lead early in the opening quarter, but Sophia Peppers three and assist to McKenna Sims gave the Mustangs the lead as Viterbo went on a four-minute scoring drought. Emily Bohn got the V-Hawks back on the board with a free throw at the 2:24 mark, as well as a layup and a jumper in the final minute, but Morningside held a 12-16 lead at the end of the first.

Julia Salem opened the second period with a block that led to a Leinfelder layup, and Natalia Leguizamon hit a jumper to tie the game. Leguizamon, Tyreesha Blaylock, and Kaitlyn Kennedy each had steals over a three-minute stretch where neither team scored. The Mustangs turned that into a 3-9 run to close the half, taking a 21-27 lead into the break.

Leguizamon led the V-Hawks with seven first-half points and two steals, while Sophia Peppers had seven points and five rebounds for Morningside.

MU scored the first five points of the third until Blaylock found Nicole Johnson for a jump shot. Emily McCurdy scored four straight points to bring the score to 28-32 at the 6:30 mark, and brought the game within two with another jumper with 4:28 left. The Mustangs put together another run, outscoring Viterbo 1-7 before Ellie Hoesley's jumper with under a minute left. She hit a pair of free throws 20 seconds later and Morningside took a 39-45 lead going into the final period.

A 2-9 run for MU opened the fourth, but Leguizamon and Blaylock scored seven straight to answer for Viterbo. McCurdy set up Kennedy for a three, Blaylock hit a pair of free throws, and Kennedy found two more points from the stripe to bring the game back within 2, 55-57 with 2:10 left. Viterbo began to foul, and Morningside hit 11 from the line while the V-Hawks were unable to convert any more baskets.

Morningside outshot Viterbo 28%-34% from the field, including 9%-18% from three, and won the rebounding battle 51-55, while Viterbo had less turnovers, 22-24, and more bench points 29-14.

Leguizamon, and Blaylock each had nine points for Viterbo, while McCurdy added eight. Bohn had six points, eight rebounds and a block and Leguizamon had four steals.

Peppers posted game-highs of 31 points and 11 rebounds, while Chloe Lofstrom had 14 and seven.

Viterbo finishes the Big Island Holiday Classic on Monday, December 19 as they take on Arizona Christian University.