February 9, 2004

Regis Holds Off Women's Basketball

Furious Rally Falls Short

      Kearney, NE – Lindsay Vail scored 24 points to lead the Regis women's basketball team to a 69-66 victory over Nebraska-Kearney Saturday afternoon in Denver. UNK falls to 16-5 (10-3 RMAC) while the Rangers improve to 14-7 (9-4 RMAC).

      After losing 14 of the fist 15 matchups to UNK, the Rangers have beaten the Lopers three straight times. UNK hasn't lost to the same team three consecutive games since Wayne State did it back in the 1994-95 (twice) and 1995-96 (once) seasons.

      Also, this is only the third time the Lopers have dropped back-to-back RMAC games. Metro State (home) and Colorado Mines (away) beat UNK during the 2000-01 campaign and then Regis (away) and Chadron (away) beat UNK in the final two regular season games of the 1999-00 season.

      UNK held its biggest lead of the game, 16-8, eight minutes in. Regis quickly came back to lead by 10, 28-18, five minutes later. That lead grew to 21 by intermission as UNK scored only three points (one free throw, one field goal) over the final 12 minutes of the half. The blue and gold was just 8 of 23 (34.8) from the field in the first 20 minutes.

      The Lopers mounted a come back early in the second half, cutting a 22 point Regis lead down to eight, 47-39, with 12:31 to play. UNK got the deficit down to three several times over the next five minutes and then trailed by just one, 59-58, after a Kalee Modlin jumper with 4:56 showing on the clock.

      After Regis got the lead back up to eight, UNK came back once again, getting an Allison Kruger bucket with 47 seconds to go to make the score 67-66 Rangers.

      The Lopers forced a turnover with 30 ticks left but then UNK committed its 23 and final turnover of the game with 13 seconds to go and the Rangers made two subsequent free shots. A three by Taryn Ninemire misfired as the buzzer sounded.

      Kruger had 14 of her team-high 23 points in the second half. She was 8 of 17 from the floor and 7 of 9 at the line.

      Kearney sophomore Nicole Gruntorad, in her first game back after injuring her knee, came off the bench to score 12 points on 4 of 8 shooting. Modlin also went 4 of 8 from the field to tally 10 points.

      Vail was 9 of 21 from the field and made 6 of 8 free shots. Diana Lopez came off the bench to tally 18 points and seven rebounds for the Rangers while Kristina Vengryte had 10 points and three assists.

      UNK begins a four game homestand Friday night.