Late BluJay Surge Slips Past Lady Wolfpack in Tight Home Battle
Launch the media gallery 1 playerLate BluJay Surge Slips Past Lady Wolfpack in Tight Home Battle
The Tri County Northeast Lady Wolfpack battled toe-to-toe with Walthill for much of the night, but a late scoring surge by the BluJays proved decisive as TCNE fell 43–38 in a closely contested conference matchup on Monday, January 26.
After a tight opening quarter, the Lady Wolfpack found momentum in the second period, outscoring Walthill 11–1 to take a 17–10 halftime lead. TCNE continued to compete with energy and composure, matching Walthill’s pace through three quarters before the BluJays pulled away with a strong fourth-quarter push.
Tri County Northeast shot 16-of-51 from the field (31 percent) and connected on 4-of-16 attempts from three-point range (25 percent). The Lady Wolfpack added 2-of-8 from the free-throw line and controlled the glass with 50 total rebounds, highlighted by 41 defensive boards.
Joslyn Mackling led the Wolfpack offense with 14 points, while Briley Anderson added nine. Emily Mitchell contributed five points, and Cora Ridenour chipped in three. Sam Rastede and Maddie Franzluebbers each scored two points to round out the scoring.
TCNE’s effort extended beyond the scoreboard, as the Lady Wolfpack recorded 11 assists, 10 steals, and two blocked shots while battling through a physical contest. Sam Rastede anchored the interior with 11 rebounds, while Briley Anderson and M. Franzluebbers each pulled down 11 boards, underscoring the Wolfpack’s strong rebounding presence.
Despite the loss, the Lady Wolfpack showed resilience and growth, particularly in their ability to respond to momentum swings and compete deep into the fourth quarter. With continued development on both ends of the floor, TCNE looks poised heading into the Lewis & Clar Conference Tournament later in the week.