It's A Start

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. (2/03/21)---Concordia waited over 300 days to play its season opener and scored the opening basket of their non-conference game at St. Ben's but then gave up a 16-4 run over the next five minutes of the first quarter and never led in the final three quarters of play as they dropped a 74-65 decision to the Bennies.

GAME RECAP: Sophomore Emily Beseman scored the first basket of the game, and the season, to give the Cobbers a 2-0 lead but then St. Ben's went on 16-4 streak and never looked back. Concordia was able to get to within five points on an "and 1" from freshman Jordyn Kahler with just over 2-minutes to play in the second quarter but then CSB finished off the half by scoring four of the final six points to take a 30-24 lead at the break.

Concordia trailed by double digits for a majority of the third quarter before going on 6-0 run to cut the lead to 49-45. Sophomore guard Kaylie Isaman connected on the 3-pointer that brought the Cobbers within four points late in the period. The Bennies once again had the answer. The netted the final five points of the period and took a 54-45 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Cobbers were never able to make an extended run in the final period of play. They cut the margin to eight points at the 7-minute mark of the quarter before CSB rallied to go on an 8-1 streak and put the game out of reach.

SEM SCORES: Junior Mary Sem led the Cobbers in scoring with 15 points. She went 6-for-10 from the floor and also grabbed a team-high five rebounds. The 15 points matches the total she put up in the final game of the 2020 season at Hamline. Sem has posted a double-digit point total in 11 of the last 13 games she has played for CC. She led CC in scoring last year with a 14.1 ppg average.

KEDL MANIA: Vanessa Kedl was one of four Cobber players to score in double digits and she came away with a career-high 14 points. Kedl scored eight of her 14 points in the second half and finished by shooting 6-for-12 from the floor. She also added three rebounds and had the team's only block on the night.

B&T make it 75.4%: Beseman and Autumn Thompson were the other two CC players with at least 10 points in the game. Both players ended the game with 10 points which gave the quartet of Sem, Kedl, Beseman and Thompson 75.4% of the team's total points. Beseman scored five of her 10 points from the free throw line while Thompson went 3-for-6 from the floor and made a lone 3-point basket.

NUMBERS, NUMBERS, NUMBERS: Concordia shot 41.8% (23-for-55) from the floor and 35.7% (5-for-14) from outside the arc. The Bennies connected on 44.4% (28-for-63) from the field and were an identical 5-for-14 from 3-point range. CSB held a 41-29 advantage in total rebounds.                           

COBBER DEBUTS: Three different newcomers got in the scorebook for the first time as Cobbers. Freshman Maddie Guler got the start at point guard and collected a lone rebound while Kahler had nine points in her CC debut and Isaman was 1-for-2 from 3-point range to finish with three points. Jennie Sem and Elizabeth Salmen also got in the game but didn't get in the stat book.   

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: The win by the Bennies in St. Joseph continues the trend from last year between the two teams. The home team won both contests a year ago with CSB claiming an 82-67 win in St. Joe's on Dec. 4 and then CC returning the favor with a 53-52 victory in Moorhead on Jan. 2.

UP NEXT: The Cobbers will open MIAC play on Saturday, Feb. 6 at St. Thomas at 2 p.m. The Tommies beat defending champion Bethel 69-66 in their non-conference game on Wednesday.  

RECAP SPONSOR: Tonight's season-opening recap is sponsored by the awesome people at RDO. Thanks for everything you do for Cobber athletics.