Defense leads Viking girls over Panthers

When you shoot 24 percent, you don’t expect to win many games.
“We we forced 32 turnovers and got 22 steals,” said Minneota Assistant Coach Dale Kockelman.]
And they hit just 18 of 30 field goals?
And still won, 61-25 over Tracy-Milroy-Balaton.
“You play good defense and that happens,” said Coach Chad Johnston.
Minneota gave up just seven points the entire second half and expanded a 34-18 halftime lead into a very one-sided win.
“We played great defense. If you can hold people under 30 points, you’ll win every time,” added Coach Kockelman.
Minneota spread the wealth on offense, with Lydia Sussner scoring 17 points; Abby Hennen 13; Morgan Hennen 11; Morgan Kockelman and Abby Rost seven each and Natalee Rolbiecki five.
“We weren’t getting the shots to fall, but we worked hard,” said Coach Johnston.
This is certainly not the Tracy-Milroy-Balaton team that has given Minneota fits in the past. “But they’re scrappy and they work hard. They’ll win games,” Coach Kockelman said about the Panthers.
Even the free throws weren’t falling for Minneota, which hit just 60 percent from the charity line.
“This team has got to get up eery night because every team will be coming after them,” said Coach Kockelman.
“They’ve got to set their own goals each night,” added the coach.
inneota went on an 11-point run in the first half, increasing the lead from 10-7 to 21-7 before Tracy-Milroy-Balaton scored again.
Then in the second half, it took 7:37 into the half before Jacklyn Lessman hit a pair of free throws for the first scoring of the game.
The Vikings were up 46-20 by that time. Minneota had a scoreless streak, but when they got going again, the game was well in hand.
For much of the game Minneota’s post, Sussner, was content dishing the ball out to her teammates.
But when urged to take the ball to the basket she responded and ended up leading the team in scoring. “We wanted to get the ball inside,” said Coach Johnston.
Once Sussner responded, the Panthers had no answer.
Vikings went to 2-0 on the season and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton was 1-1.

Minneota 61, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 25
MINNEOTA-(3’s, 2’s, FT F TP) Morgan Kockelman 0 1 3-4 3 7; Lizzy Gllingham 2 1 4-9 3 1; Morgan Hennen 2 1 4-9 3 11; Natalee Rolbiecki 1 0 2-3 0 5; Abby Hennen 4 1 2-3 3 13; Audra Buysse 0 0 0-0 0 0; Lydia Sussner 6 0 5-8 2 17; Aby Rost 2 0 2-3 3 7; McKenna Yost 0 0 0-0 0 0; Mariah Muhl 0 0 0-0 0 0; Madison Sorenson 0 0 0-0 0 0; Katie Konold 0 0 0-0 0 0; Jeren Rost 0 0 0-0 0 0. Totals 15 3 18-30 17 61.
TMB (2’s, 3’s, FT, F, TP) Cassidy Smith 2 0 2-3 2; Samantha Edwards 2 0 0-2 3 4; Jordyn Lessman 3 0 2-3 3 8; Cedra Lasley 3 0 2-3 3 8; Margaret Dolan 0 0 1-3 0 1; Brooke Christian 0 1 0-0 2 3. 7 0 5-12 25 25.
Score by Halves:
TMB          18  7  —  25
Minneota   24 27 —  61