Finlandia earns second straight win with victory over Lakers
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HANCOCK -- Winning is like losing in the world of sports .... it can be contagious.
The Finlandia Lions women’s basketball team is discovering the winning side, scoring a 57-53 decision over Silver Lake College Sunday afternoon.
"We haven’t completely found a way to string together a full game just yet," Lions coach Mariah LaPointe-Dunham said after her team’s second win in a row after 14 straight losses to begin the season. "But we’re learning a little bit each time out. It feels good to have a couple of wins under our belt."
In Sunday’s matinee, the young Finlandia team had to hold off a rallying Lakers team in the final two minutes.
In the end, a big basket and two free throws by center Katie Lundeen provided the margin of victory.
Lundeen’s pair of clutch free throws with 14 seconds left to play iced it.
The latter had misfired on three previous trips to the line late in the game.
"She (Lundeen) usually shoots free throws pretty (76 percent) good," LaPointe-Dunham said. "But she made the last two when they counted."
Also making a big contribution in the second half was freshman Tierra Taylor. The former Gwinn High standout hit three baskets and grabbed five rebounds.
"I’ve watched Terra (Taylor) for some time and I knew what she could do as a player," LaPointe-Dunham said. "It was nice to see."
Finlandia held a 34-23 halftime margin, only to have Silver Lake roar back.
Mariah Austin led the Lions with 15 points and also snagged a team-best 11 boards.
Taylor Pertile, the Hancock High product, notched 13 points, while Lundeen had 8 points and 11 rebounds.
Katie Loman had 5 assists and 4 steals, while Haley Makela (Jeffers) added four points and four boards in spot duty.
Ashley Rumlow’s 12 points paced the 4-10 Lakers. Hailee Kotche and Paige Boden split 22 more.
Finlandia hosts St. Scholastica on Wednesday.
SILVER LAKE -- Rumlow 12, Severin 8, Kudick 8, Kotche 11, Boden 11, Rabe 4. FG: 16-60; FT: 16-21; Rebounds: Kotche 13; Fouls: 21; Fouled out: Boden, Kotche; 3-pint FG: Severin 2, Rumlow 2, Kudick 1.
FINLANDIA -- Berg 1, Froberg 4, Loman 4, Pertile 13, Lundeen 8, Austin 15, Makela 4, Nagy 2, Taylor 6. FG: 13-61; FT: 8-17; Rebounds: Austin 11); Fouls: 21; Fouled out: Loman; 3-point FG: Pertile 2. Austin 1.
Halftime score: FU 34, SLC 23.