Yellowjackets 72, Northland 46
Box Score
The women's basketball team opened the 2011-12 regular season in Ashland, Wis. on Tuesday night, and this was a contest that was over long before time expired at the end of the second half. A 15-3 run near the middle of the first half propelled the Yellowjackets to a 20-point halftime lead, and they would expand on it in the second half, rolling past Northland College 72-46.
Down 6-4 less than two minutes into the game, Hailey Hart (Osseo, Wis.) made a layup to tie the game, and that started the Yellowjackets on their run. Just over six minutes another Hart layup bookended the 15-3 run which included five points from junior guard Connie Urmanski (Edgar, Wis.). After the mid-point of the half, Urmanski added four more and freshman Sally Linzmeier (Valders, Wis.) scored six times to make it a 43-23 game at halftime.
The second half was more of the same, with more players getting in on the scoring act. Bri Davis (Hermantown, Minn.) hit a three-pointer with 7:55 to play, giving the Yellowjackets their largest lead of the night, 33 points, at 68-35. The final basket of the game came with 49 seconds to play, courtesy of Desirae Rasmussen (Gaastra, Mich.) making the final score 72-46.
Twelve different Yellowjackets scored in the game, led by Linzmeier with 15 points, while Urmanski added 14. They were the only Yellowjackets to hit double digit points. Hart led the Yellowjackets with six rebounds. Three different Yellowjackets - Urmanski, Linsmeyer and Kailee McDonald (Cambridge, Minn.) had two assists apiece.
Defensively, Hillary Peterson (Moose Lake, Minn.) had three blocks and Linzmeier had a team-high five steals.
Maria Mackey had a game-high 18 points and also pulled down six rebounds for the Lumberjills.
The Yellowjackets (1-0, 0-0 WIAC) will travel to DePere, Wis. on November 18-19 where they will take part in the "Baylake Bank Tip-Off Tournament," hosted by St. Norbert College. Their first game will be at 5:00 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 18) against Dominican University.