Holiday Hoopla - Mustangs slip past Bellevue

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Sophomore guard standout Sierra Mitchell (SO/Pleasant Hill, IA) wasn't having a day to remember Saturday, Dec. 15.

Morningside College's leading scorer found herself one of 12 from the field and one of six from the beyond the arc on the statistics sheet. However, the Pleasant Hill, Iowa, native made lemonade out of the lemony line, going a vital six-of-six at the charity stripe which included the game-deciding tosses to lift the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' Division II No. 8-ranked team 78-74 in a difficult test from North Star Athletic Association foe Bellevue University of Nebraska.

Head coach Jamie Sale's squad also received important numbers from their point guard on the assist and steal sections. Mitchell dished out four scoring passes, a team-high, and ended three Bruin offensive possessions, including a huge one with just over 15 seconds left and the Mustangs leading 74-72. She was fouled shortly thereafter setting up her free throw heroics.

Mside's bench played a crucial part in enabling the team to move to 9-3. Freshman guard Taylor Rodenburgh (FR/Hawarden, IA) (Hawarden, Iowa) tallied 19 which included four three-pointers; sophomore forward Kailey Burke (SO/Hinton, IA) (Hinton, Iowa) added 13; and junior guard Skyler Snider (JR/Kearney, NE) (Kearney, Neb.) finished with 12. Mitchell finished with nine points to go with her three assists, four steals, and four rebounds.

Morningside is back in action Wednesday, Dec. 19, in Honolulu, Hawaii versus John Brown College as part of the Hoop 'N Surf Classic.