Mustangs cruise in season opener

OLATHE, KS. – A huge rally over the second and third periods of action lifted Morningside College to a key non-conference victory Friday, Nov. 6.

Head coach Jamie Sale's Mustangs trailed by as much as seven (18-11) in the latter stages of the first stanza. However, a three-point bucket from senior guard Sierra Mitchell (SR/Pleasant Hill, Iowa) (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) to end the frame triggered a 14-4 stretch that ended when fellow senior guard Grace Meyer (SR/Pomeroy, Iowa) (Pomeroy, Iowa) splashed in a three-ball with 6:04 left in the half. Mside never trailed again on MidAmerica Nazarene University's Bell Family Arena court, building the advantage to as much as 32 before winding up 81-53 victors.

After struggling offensively over the first 10 minutes, the Maroon caught fire in the second and third quarters, hitting at better than 51 percent, which guided the 51-23 roll to decide the outcome. Morningside's patented pressure defense also headlined the 2020-21 opener, as MAU committed 20 turnovers in the second and third periods and 28 overall.

Four of Sale's five starters wound up in double figures. Mitchell, canning three treys along the way, finished with 15 points to go with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Junior guard Taylor Rodenburgh (JR/Hawarden, Iowa) (Hawarden, Iowa) tallied 13 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists; senior guard Faith Meyer (SR/Pomeroy, Iowa) (Pomeroy, Iowa) was next in line with 12 points, five rebounds, two steals, and an assist; and junior guard McKenna Sims (SO/South Sioux City, Neb.) (South Sioux City, Neb.), making her much-anticipated Mustangs' debut, tossed in 11, dished out eight assists, gathered five rebounds, blocked an MAU shot and picked up a steal. Looking further, freshman post player Chloe Lofstrom (FR/Armstrong, Iowa) (Armstrong, Iowa) piled up seven rebounds and rejected three home team shot attempts. Junior forward Sophia Peppers (JR/Exira, Iowa) (Exira, Iowa) came off the bench and contributed eight points, four rebounds, four steals, and three assists.

Mside wraps up its season-opening Kansas City-area road trip Saturday, Nov. 7. They clash with Benedictine College of Kansas in a 2 p.m. tip-off at Atchison. Ks.

NOTE: Mitchell climbed within seven points of becoming the 12^th player in program history to reach 1500 career points.