LA CROSSE, WIS. – The Mount Mary University basketball team started off the season tonight at the Holiday Inn Express Tip-off Classic. In the first contest of the 2014 campaign, the Blue Angels lost to Simpson College 107-26.
The Blue Angels had trouble getting their offense going early tonight. As the Storm started shooting very well early on, the Blue Angels struggled to get their first shot off until the 15 minute mark. Simpson jumped out to a 29-0 lead until newcomer Chrisandra Freeman (Fr./Cedar Rapids, Iowa) hit her first NCAA three pointer 11 minutes into the game.
When the buzzer hit, first half finished 62-10 in favor of Simpson. Jasmine Meyer (Fr./Lansing, Kan.) led the Blue Angels with four rebounds in the half. Rachel Kaale for the Storm had 14 points, all of which coming from inside the three-point line. Kaale's teammate Morgan Mauro hit three of her four three-point attempts.
Three Blue Angels starters began the second half with two fouls, but the Blue Angels saw more production on both ends. Taylor Baumgart (So./Burlington, Wis.) seemed to wake up in the final 20 minutes scoring eight of her nine points, which led MMU on the night. Meyer went two of five from the floor, and hit a pair of free throws to end the game with eight points.
With only one upperclassmen on the team, the young team is going through the learning curve of NCAA basketball right off the bat. Coach Marc Heidorf "We got an early demonstration in the importance of 'the little things' and how quickly a game can unravel when you do not do things like talk, protect the ball, and trust your teammates."
The team is focusing on tomorrow when they will face off against fellow Milwaukee institution, Alverno College. The matchup tomorrow at 1:00 pm is the fifth between the schools since MMU joined NCAA DIII. In the finale of the Holiday Inn Express Tip-off Classic, the Blue Angels will look to turn the tide as the Inferno lead the series in that time 4-0.
