GIRLS FALL TO THE FLYING DUTCHMEN

The MCC Rebel Girls were back at home on Tuesday night taking on their toughest competition of the season in the Edgerton Flying Dutchmen. Edgerton was the runner-up in the sub-section a year ago and return three key players from that team including Alyda Vande Griend, one of the top players in the Red Rock Conference. The Rebels were looking to pick up their biggest win in several seasons but that wasn’t to be. Edgerton picked up their second win of the conference schedule in Slayton.

The first half was dominated by Vande Griend who would score 20 points to lead Edgerton. Vande Griend scored inside and at the free-throw line and used her length and speed to score in transition. As she scored, she drew fouls, leaving the Rebels with four players having 3 fouls each by halftime, which severely limited the Rebels player rotations. The Rebels, on offense struggled with turnovers, which mostly came from overpassing once getting into the lane. If you drive into the lane and you don’t look to score, you often are left with a difficult pass and too often Tuesday those passes end up with the Flying Dutchmen. Even with the Rebels’ struggles, with two minutes or so to go in the half, the Rebels were within 12 points and had a chance to get within single digits, but Alyda Vande Griend would finish the half on a seven-nothing run and the Rebels trailed at the half 33 to 16.

The second half didn’t start well for MCC as Vande Griend scored 8 of her team’s first 11 points and the lead grew to 30 points. MCC got a couple of nice baskets from Ava Deacon who would be the only Rebel in double figures with a careerhigh 15 points, but no other Rebel scored more than four points. Simply put, the Rebels didn’t have the answers to deal with the Edgerton six-footer. Edgerton got the win 61 to 33.

The Rebels finished the game with 25 turnovers and only one player made a three-point shot. In the first two games of the season, the Rebels won the turnover battle and they made an average of 6.5 threes per game. The Rebels are now 2-1 on the season and will play three games in four days beginning on Friday. The Rebels will play Wabasso, Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop, and then Pipestone. MCC will be challenged a great deal in each game.