Hot-handed Mary outshoots CSC

A cold-shooting second half proved to be the difference in Monday night’s season opener for the Chadron State women’s basketball team.

Trailing by just five at intermission (34-29), the Eagles managed to score just 15 second-half points while shooting 5-29, 17%, from the floor en route to a 71-44 defeat at the hands of the University of Mary Marauders.

Chadron State dropped to 0-1 on the season while the Marauders improved to 2-0.

The contest could not have started much better for the orange and blue as the Marauders jumped out to a 10-0 advantage just moments into the game.

The Marauders also connected on each of their first five 3-point attempts while garnering the early momentum from the Eagles.

However, thanks to redshirt freshman Katie Ranta, the Eagles kept the score close throughout most of the first half.

Ranta, guard of Rapid City, S.D., netted 9 first-half points and helped the Eagles close the gap to just 29-27 with three minutes remaining in the opening half.

That’s as close as Chadron State got, however, as the cold-shooting woes followed.

As a team, the Eagles were led in scoring by junior guard Kelsey Scott, of Douglas, Wyo., who finished with 11 points.

Ranta dropped nine and Marla Munsen, sophomore of Hershey, chipped in with four.

Mary enjoyed a balanced attack led by Shaunna Knife with 13. Teammates Ali Collins, Mckenzie Foster and Rachel Zillmer each netted 11.

The Eagles also played without D-II team 3 All-American and WNBA hopeful Kaitlin Petri, senior of Kearney, who averaged 19.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game last season.

Petri is suffering from a leg injury and has no time frame on her return.

The Eagles will attempt to get back on track this Monday when they host the Northern State University Wolves of Aberdeen, S.D. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. in Armstrong Gymnasium.