Mustangs fall in GPAC quarterfinals

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Morningside's women were destined to be underdogs as they entered Great Plains Athletic Conference postseason tournament play today. The Mustangs, seeded seventh, traveled to season runner up Briar Cliff, playing to overtime before the Chargers escaped with an 85-82 victory.

The Mustangs poured their hearts into the game, starting slow in the first quarter but coming on strong for the remainder of the contest. 

The Chargers held a small advantage when it came to shooting percentage, 49.2 percent to 47.1 percent, but saw a larger gap in three-point shooting, 38.9 percent to Morningside's 25 percent, arguably the stat that sunk the Mustangs in the end.

On a more positive note, Morningside capitalized on 20 BCU turnovers for 22 points, while turning the ball over 16 times, but only giving up seven points off turnovers as the defense responded to Morningside's missteps. The Mustangs tallied eight steals in the contest as they forced BCU's offense off-balance.

Sophia Peppers led the Mustangs in scoring, netting 23 points in the final GPAC tourney game of her career. Chloe Lofstrom followed with 21, proving to be a vital piece of the equation in the second half of the contest. McKenna Sims had 12 points, and Alexis Spier and Olivia Larsen each had eight to round out the starters. Chaise Pfanstiel led the way off the bench with six points and Lauren Hedlund and Lily Vollertsen each had two. 

The Mustangs were giving on offense, tallying 15 assists, as Sims racked up four, and Larsen, Peppers, and Hedlund each had two. Spier, Lofstrom, Pfanstiel, Jansa, and Vollertsen all had one assist in the game.

Peppers tallied seven rebounds in the extended contest, leading Morningside. Larsen, Spier, Sims, and Lofstrom all followed with four. Vollertsen and Aspen Jansa each had two boards, and Hedlund and Ella Wragge both had one. 

The Mustangs, now out of the GPAC tourney, await their fate in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics postseason selection show.