CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Despite trailing 10-2 over five minutes into the game, Coe rallied to beat Simpson 75-72 at Eby Fieldhouse.  The game featured the defending Co-Champions of the Iowa Conference from the past two seasons.

With Simpson leading 10-2 with 14:49 to play in the first half, sophomore Mackenzie Reed (Iowa City, Iowa/West) hit a jumper in the paint with 14:23 to play in the half, sparking an 11-1 run by the Kohawks over the next 3:22.  Simpson would answer with a 12-4 run in the next 2:53, but Coe wouldn't go away to end the half.  The Kohawks answered with an 11-6 run in the next 2:59, cutting the lead to one on a back-to-back baskets by Reed with 3:34 to play.  A jumper by senior Leslie Ware (Des Moines, Iowa/Johnston) with :57 to play in the half left the Storm with a 37-36 lead at the break.

Sophomore Mary Halvorson (Waterville, Iowa/Waukon) scored the first points of the second half :10 in to give Coe the lead.  After baskets by Nicole Crisp and Chelsie Rohrs gave Simpson a 40-38 lead with 18:04 to play, Coe went on its biggest run of the game to take over.  Senior Kayla Waskow (Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton) hit a jumper in the lane with 16:59 to play, sparking a 12-0 run in the next 3:55 as Coe took its largest lead of the game at 11 with 11:54 to play.

Simpson wouldn't go away quietly, as they responded with a 21-11 run in the next 5:09 to tie the game at 61 with 7:29 to play.  It was the sixth tie of the game.  Coe led by two before Crisp hit a layup with 2:00 to play, tying the game at 68.  Halvorson gave Coe the lead for good on a jumper with 1:38 to play.  Simpson would cut the lead to one on a free throw by Nielsen with 1:09 to play, but Ware had the answer for Coe, hitting a 3-pointer with :55 to play.  Kelsie Reeves cut the lead to one on a 3-pointer just :11 later.

Freshman Megan Hayes (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf) scored the game's final points on a layup with :15 to play.  Following a Simpson timeout, Ware stole the ball from Crisp with :05 to play, sealing Coe's victory.

Halvorson finished with a career-high in points (16), assists (5), blocks (3) and steals (4).  She also added six rebounds.  Hayes turned in her third double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.  She also had a career-high six blocked shots and dished out two assists.  Senior Kelsey Jipp (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) added a career-high 12 points, while Reed and Ware added 12 and 10 points respectively.  With two 3-pointers on the night, Ware became the third player in school history to make over 150 treys.

Waskow finished with a career-high six assists, while adding six rebounds and two steals.  She became the 18th player in school history to surpass 400 career rebounds.  Ware added three assists and two steals, while Reed had two steals.  Kate Nielsen, the reigning Iowa Conference Player of the Week, led four Simpson players in double-figures with 15 points.

The Kohawks improved to 10-3 overall and 4-0 in the Iowa Conference.  Coe will host Wartburg on Saturday at 2 p.m.  The Knights are 10-3 overall and 3-1 in the Iowa Conference after a 77-57 win over Central Wednesday night.