Bruins Best V-Hawks in Bellevue

BELLEVUE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Women's Basketball team traveled to Bellevue University (Neb.) to start the second half of North Start Athletic Association (NSAA) play on Friday night, but lost 48-65. The V-Hawks drop to 5-15 (2-6 NSAA), while the Bruins improve to 13-8 (7-1 NSAA).

Tyreesha Blaylock set up Natalia Leguizamon's three for the V-Hawks first basket of the game, followed by a Leguizamon steal and layup to go up 5-2 early. Sophie Leinfelder ended a Bellevue run with a three at 5:09, and Julia Salmen's and-one gave Viterbo a 15-13 lead at 4:35. Leinfelder would hit another triple, but back-to-back threes from BU, including Faith Ross' with under a minute left, gave them a 20-23 advantage at the end of the first.

Bellevue would continue the momentum into the second quarter, hitting another pair of shots before Leinfelder's steal and layup at 6:48 finally put them back on the board, down 22-27. Beither team would score for over four and a half minutes, until Kaziah Terrell's three ended the drought for the Bruins, and Leguizamon's layup for the V-Hawks. Bellevue would take a 25-33 lead into the break.

Gina Stefferud would score first for the V-Hawks in the second half, followed by and assist to Blaylock. Leinfelder would go on a 6-0 run on her own, with Blaylock contributing two steals to the run, and Viterbo would close the gap to 35-39 with four minutes in the quarter. However, after a Bruins run, Stefferud's two baskets to end the quarter left Viterbo behind 39-47.

Bellevue would open the final period with 11 unanswered points, before Emily McCurdy's layup at 5:39. BU would lead by as much as 22, but Macy Stellner and Ellie Hoesley would each get on the board late to end the game, 48.65.

Bellevue would narrowly outshoot the V-Hawks from the floor (35%-33%) but significantly from three (33%-13%). They would also win the rebounding battle (46-35), leading to 12 second chance points.

Leinfelder led the V-Hawks with 15 points, four rebounds, and three steals, while Leguizamon had nine points, five boards, and four steals. Ross had 20 points, five rebounds, and two blocks for Bellevue.

The V-Hawks return to action on Saturday, January 29 at Dakota State University (S.D.).