Defending champions hold off determined Mustangs' effort

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Sophomore forward Taylor Rodenburgh turned in her first collegiate double-double, spotlighting a battle with defending the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' Division II champion and top-ranked Concordia University of Nebraska Wednesday, Dec. 11.

The Hawarden, Iowa native, who has turned into a super-sub of sorts for head coach Jamie Sale's squad this season, showed more of her wares against a veteran-laden and active defensive Bulldog unit. She scored 14 points, grabbed ten rebounds with four of them coming on the offensive glass, and dished out an assist to aid the NAIA D2 No. 7-ranked Mustangs in a narrow 88-77 Great Plains Athletic Conference loss.

Senior forward/center Sydney Hupp (O'Neill, Neb.) led the offensive attack with 16 points and gathered seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Sophia Peppers (Exira, Iowa), continuing an impressive four-game span where she's averaging 14 points per outing, finished with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a blocked shot.

A 27-12 first quarter from the Bulldogs put Sale's squad behind the eight-ball quickly. However, a 19-7 run in the second period brought the home crowd to its feet and the Maroon within 34-31. CU countered by scoring 12 of the final 14 first-half points and managed to turn back more host team rallies in the second half.

Morningside (8-3 overall, 5-2 GPAC) concludes its pre-winter break league slate Saturday, Dec. 14. Tip-off at the University of Jamestown's Harold Newman Center is 2 p.m.

NOTES: Hupp recently moved into the all-time scoring top 20. She is 28 points shy of becoming the 16th player in program history with 1300 or more. Hupp is also part of the first 15 in career rebounds (681 – No. 15).