Wagner's Hot Shooting Not Enough for the V-Hawks

LAMONI, Iowa – The Viterbo University Women's Basketball team fell 90-83 in their season opener to Graceland University (Iowa). The V-Hawks start the year 0-1, while the Yellow Jackets start 1-0.

Emma Wagner found Macy Stellner for the first three points of the V-Hawks season, and Madison Hugdahl's layup off an offensive rebound gave them their first lead of the game, 9-7 at 6:42. The Yellow Jackets scored eight straight, but a Wagner three ended the run. Ellie Hoesley hit a three of her own with under a minute left in the period, but Heaven Mbaruk hit two more shots, giving GU a 27-17 lead at the end of the first.

They continued to add to the lead, going up by 19, but Lauryn Goettl answered with four straight points, then set up a Wagner three. The V-Hawks made six consecutive free throw to bring the lead down to single digits, 44-36, but a late layup by the Yellow Jackets left the game at 49-38 going into the break.

Hoesley hit the first shot of the second half at 8:11, and a Gina Stefferud layup closed the deficit to 52-47. Graceland put together a 13-0 run, ended by a Stellner three at 1:18 and followed by another Wagner three. Emily McCurdy hit a pair from the stripe but GU beat the buzzer with a three, going up 72-58 going into the final quarter.

Marley Hughes' three pointer closed the lead to 10 at 8:48, and Wagner made it 80-71 at 6:38. Neither team scored for over a minute until Wagner hit another at 4:57, and then hit another to make it a one possession game, 82-79 at 3:39. The V-Hawks would get no closer, however, as GU hit just enough free throw late to hold onto the 90-83 win.

Wagner led the V-Hawks with 20 points on 6-11 shooting from three. Goettl added 13 off the bench, and McCurdy led the team with nine boards and six assists. Alana Swift posted a game-high 25 points for the Yellow Jackets, while Vegas Camacho had 17 and Mbaruk grabbed 15 boards.

The V-Hawks shot better from three (35.3%-20.8%) and grabbed more rebounds (57-50) but Graceland had the advantage from the free throw line (27 made on 71% over 17 made on 53%).

The V-Hawks return to action on Wednesday, November 1 on the road at William Penn University (Iowa).