Mustangs close regular season with 'memorable' win

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — This season may not have gone as planned for the Morningside women's basketball team, but their final home win of 2024-25 will be a lifelong memory.

The Mustangs upset fifth-ranked Briar Cliff 76-74 in Allee Gymnasium on Senior Day, allowing them to earn their 12th win of the season and 10th in Great Plains Athletic Conference play.

"We were intense the whole time defensively," said head coach Jamie Sale.

Alexis Spier hit the go-ahead free throw with 6 minutes, 57 seconds left that put the Mustangs up one point. The Mustangs led by as many as seven late, but the Chargers wanted to spoil Senior Day and Alumni Day.

That is, until Lily Vollertsen blocked the Chargers' final shot in the waning seconds, and clinched the victory for the Mustangs in front of several Mustangs fans.

"I'm really happy that this is the memory I get to take away in my last game of the season," said Spier, who led the Mustangs with 19 points. "This is huge for us going into the (GPAC) Tournament. We're going to play that team again, and it's great knowing we can beat (Briar Cliff)."

Spier provided some of the first quarter spark, scoring the first five points for her team.

"When I hit my first two shots like that, my confidence goes up here," said Spier, raising her hand like an elevator.

Spier was one of four honored before the game as they played their last game of the regular season. The other three were Chaise Pfanstiel, Baylie Girres (graduating in three academic years), and student assistant coach Maddie Craighead.

Pfanstiel's stat line was six points, five rebounds and three assists. She played in her 84th game as a Mustang, and has averaged 5.9 points per game during her time here.

"We all really wanted that one, and we believed in ourselves," said Pfanstiel. "That was a big win for us, and we all played well together. I'm always going to remember this for the rest of my life."

While Girres didn't play on Saturday, she scored a personal season-high eight points in last Saturday's contest against College of Saint Mary.

"Our seniors have meant everything to our program," Sale said. "Lex has been here for five years and improved so much. Chaise is enthusiastic all the time. Baylie is such an awesome kid. Maddie has helped me out so much as a coach."

Spier wasn't the only scorer in double figures. Vollertsen earned another home double-double, scoring 17 and bringing down 11 rebounds. Jordyn Carr had 10 points and five assists.

Off the bench, Tonja Heirigs made three 3-pointers en route to an 11-point game.

Morningside is the No. 6 seed in this week's conference tournament, and it'll play the Chargers again at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Briar Cliff.