Slow start hurts Mustangs in Heart opener

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team outscored Grand View by six in the second half, but couldn't overcome their double-digit deficit from the first two quarters in their Heart of America Athletic Conference opener earlier tonight. The Mustangs fell to the Vikings 73-59 inside Sisam Arena. 

For the second straight game, the Mustangs were held to under ten points in the first quarter but this time they couldn't dig themselves out of it. Grand View shot a blistering sixty percent from the field in the first period pulling out to a 23-8 lead. The Mustangs would slowly chip away, scoring more points in each respective quarter, including outscoring the Vikings in the final two. Mount Mercy got within three possessions, down just nine, after a Madison Dreckman free throw with two minutes remaining. Grand View (4-0, 2-0 Heart) connected on three-of-four free throws down the stretch to deter Mount Mercy's comeback efforts. 

The Mustangs out-rebounded the Vikings and scored more bench points, but their off-shooting night couple with an early deficit proved to be too pivotal.  Annika Headington and Anais Bonnemaison were one and two rebounds away from a double-double. Bonnemaison finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, Headington with 12 and nine, respectively. Sadie Struchen was 3-for-6 from behind the arc for nine points off the bench, while Tatum Grififn added five. 

Mount Mercy (2-2, 0-1 Heart) stays on the road for a Heart matchup with Peru State (Neb.) (4-1, 1-0 Heart) on Saturday, Nov. 18 inside the Al Wheeler Activity Center beginning at noon.