By Rob Everingham
The Skylights rebounded from last week's loss to Westminster with a 71-62 win over Rocky Mountain College last night.
Rocky opened up a quick 9-4 lead off a Julie Bergum bucket. The Skylights battled back.
Northern went on a 15-2 sparked by a Jana Smith basket with 8:35 left in the game run to lead, 29-16.
The Skylights were able to hold on to a 39-31 lead at the half off a Jackie Rasnick 3-pointer with 50 seconds left in the first half.
Rocky made a few mini runs in the second half and went on a 13-2 run to capture a 54-53 lead.
The game was tied at 56-56 but a Lynn Kansteiner bucket pushed the Skylights ahead 58-56, and from there they never lost the lead.
The Skylights finished the game 7-of-8 from the free throw line and held the Bears scoreless in the final 1:43 of the game.
Northern was led by Jana Smith with 18 points, Hjorth added 10 and Kansteiner dumped in 10.
For the Bears it was Sarah Megyesi leading with 16 points.
Skylights head coach Ray Peters said is was just a well-rounded game for his team.
Peters said it was a very physical game and a "had to win" for the Skylights.
Northern and Rocky always match up well and, Peters said, the Skylights did well to shut down Tara Walton and keep Megyesi's points down.
Peters said Kansteiner had a huge game and the bench play of both Rasnick and Jennifer Young helped the Skylights.
The bench players were filling the hole left by Anna Fabatz who is out with a knee injury. Peters said Fabatz had her knee scoped yesterday and the knee is okay and she should return by next weekend.
Peters said the Skylights did a good job defensively and they were able to keep on their intensity in the very physical game.
The Skylights were 12-of-14 from the free throw line, while the Bears made it to the charity stripe just six times in the game.
Peters said he was pleased his team could answer the Bears' run in the second half, keep playing defense and get the win.
"Defense is what is winning games for us," Peters said.
The Skylights have a tough road ahead of them as they head to league-leading and fourth-ranked Lewis-Clark State.
Northern stayed with the Warriors in the first half of their last meeting, but L-C was too much in the second.
After the game this weekend, the Skylights return home for their only home televised game of the year against Montana Tech on Monday.
Rocky Mountain (11-12; 3-5) Callie Sparing 2-3 0-0 5; Heather Heggem 2-9 2-2 6; Julie Bergum 6-9 0-0 14; Sarah Megyesi 5-12 2-2 16; Amber Lieberg 0-2 2-2 2; Krystal Simonson 3-6 0-0 7; Jada Simonson 1-4 0-0 2; Tommi Jo DeRudder 3-3 0-0 6; Tara Walton 2-5 0-0 4; Beth Gerber 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 24-54 6-6 62.
MSU-Northern (14-11; 4-3) Kristine Noel 3-9 2-3 8; Abby Hjorth 5-8 0-0 10; Jana Smith 5-9 6-7 18; Jennifer Young 1-3 0-0 3: Laura Munson 2-6 4-4 8; Brianne Dunn 2-6 0-0 4; Jackie Rasnick 2-3 0-0 5; Kelsy Burgmaier 2-4 0-0 5; Lynn Kansteiner 5-6 0-0 10; Totals: 27-54 12-14 71.
Halftime: Northern 39; Rocky 31. Three-pointers: Rocky 8-20 (Sparing 1-2, Heggem 0-1, Bergum 2-3, Megyesi 4-9, Lieberg 0-2, K. Simonson 1-3); Northern 5-9 (Noel 0-1, Smith 2-2, Young 1-2, Rasnick 1-2, Burgmaier 1-2); Rebounds: Rocky 32 (J. Simonson 5); Northern 27 (Hjorth 4, Dunn 4, Burgmaier 4); Assists: Rocky 12 (Heggem 3, K. Simonson 3); Northern 12 (Smith 4); Steals: Rocky 6 (Bergum 2, Megyesi 2); Northern 10 (Hjorth 3); Turnovers: Rocky 22; Northern 16. Total fouls: Rocky 12 (Fouled out: none); Northern 13 (Fouled out: none); Tech. Fouls: None; Att NA.
