Fast start fuels Morningside

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – A 9-0 Morningside College run to open a Great Plains Athletic Conference clash inside Allee Gymnasium and the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center Saturday, Jan. 25, foreshadowed a sparkling 40 minutes.

Head coach Jamie Sale's squad built off that roll and didn't look back, growing the lead to as much as 39 before winding up a 91-63 victor over visiting Mount Marty College. The Mustangs, moving to 18-5 overall and 12-3 in the conference, hit at a 47 percent clip from the field overall, draining 11 three-pointers in the process, as three players finished in double digits.

Junior guard Sierra Mitchell (JR/Pleasant Hill, IA) (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) led the trio with 23 points, canning three treys to run her string of contests with multiple three-pointers to 20. It wasn't all she accomplished though, as her stat line included three rebounds and four steals, as the patented Maroon defense stifled the Lancers to the tune of 21 turnovers. Sophomore forward Sophia Peppers (SO/Exira, IA) (Exira, Iowa) added 17 while dishing out four assists and grabbing six rebounds. Fellow sophomore forward Taylor Rodenburgh (SO/Hawarden, IA) (Hawarden, Iowa) kept her super-sub status intact with 12 points, four rebounds, and one steal.

The Mustangs, staying a half-game behind Concordia University for second on the loop standings, begin back-to-back road tests Wednesday, Jan. 29. Mside faces off with conference unbeaten and No. 2-ranked Hastings College at HC's Lynn Farrell Arena in a 6 p.m. tip-off.