SUPERIOR, Wis.—The Yellowjacket women's basketball team, who sewed up the No. 1 seed in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season action, hosted the No. 4 seed North Central at home Wednesday.
For those who remember last season, this is a similar narrative. The Yellowjackets (No. 3 seed) traveled to North Central (No. 2 seed) in the semifinal game. A huge comeback from the Rams would see them defeat UWS 52-50.
Not this time.
Early on the game was intense, as both teams traded blows left and right. It wasn't until late in the third quarter where the 'Jackets would use their momentum and power past the Rams 72-59, securing home advantage for the UMAC Championship game.
Game Notes
- Elise Besonen (Ewen, Mich./Ewen-Trout Creek) exploded on the court, scoring a team-leading 28 points in the game. She would net five-of-six points from the line, 10-of-15 from the field (62.5 percent) and capitalized on both of her three-point attempts.
- Besonen once again played in all 40 minutes, which is the 12th time she's done so this season.
- MyKenzie Leccia (Somerset, Wis./Somerset) also had a solid game, scoring 14 points and finishing with a 50 percent success rate from midrange.
- Charlotte Ferstl (Plain, Wis./River Valley) scored eight points while leading the game with 12 rebounds. She extends her team-lead with 185 total rebounds. She currently sits sixth across the UMAC.
- Two Yellowjackets scored seven points in Katie Dobson (Black River Falls, Wis./Black River Falls) and Elsa Olson (Cottage Grove, Minn./Park).
- Erika Mattson (Ely, Minn./Ely Memorial) scored four, adding one block and steal. She also grabbed three rebounds on the evening.
- North Central's Caitlyn Ryan led the offensive charge for the Rams, scoring a game-high 31 points with six rebounds and two steals. She finished with a 75 percent success rate from midrange.
- Kaitlyn VanderPloeg also contributed offensive output for the Rams, scoring 14 and grabbing 10 boards for the double double.
The Yellowjackets are back in action Saturday for the UMAC championship, hosting Minnesota Morris. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. inside Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium.
