Women's Basketball Falls at Top Seed, No. 4 Dordt, in GPAC Tourney

Doane Women's Basketball traveled to Sioux Center, Iowa, on Tuesday to take on No. 4 Dordt, the top seed in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Tournament. The Tigers were making their first postseason appearance in six years and put up a valiant effort before falling, 80-64.

The Tigers, behind a 7-0 run late in the opening quarter, led after 10 minutes of play, 17-16. Dordt used an 8-0 run to break a 28-all tie to take a lead late in the second quarter. The Tigers countered with a 6-0 run to pull within two points. The Defenders led at the half, 37-34.

Doane tied the game on their first possession of the third quarter on a 3-point basket by Rylie Rice. Dordt followed with a 7-0 run as they held the Tigers scoreless over the next two minutes of play. Macy Holtz broke the drought and Doane would score six points over the next minute to pull within three points, 46-43, following a Mak Hatcliff breakaway layup. 

However, the turning point of the game came on the transition basket as Holtz was injured on a Dordt boxout attempt on the shot. The Defenders scored seven unanswered to take a 10-point lead. Following a Tiger timeout, Rice came back for the Tigers with five points to cut the lead in half only to see Dordt close the quarter on a 7-0 run to lead by 12 points entering the final quarter.

Doane was able to get the lead cut to 10 points on a couple of occasions but a 9-0 run by Dordt in the latter stages of the game pushed the lead to 19, their largest of the game. Rice hit a 3-point basket on the Tigers final possession to cap the game's scoring.

Hatcliff led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Rice added 14 points behind three 3-point baskets and Holtz finished with 12 points, 10 in the first half. Rice had a team-high six rebounds. Libby Trausch and Kali Staples led the way with two assists apiece while Holtz had a team-high three steals.

The player of the game for the Defenders was Macey Nielson who posted 19 points off the bench. Her efforts in the first half prevented Doane from building a lead as she scored 13 points. She entered the game averaging 3.6 points per game but would go on to hit five 3-point baskets.

Doane ends their season at 14-15 overall.