Mustangs Open Their Season with a Dominating Win

BELLEVUE, Neb. - In their season opener, the Mount Mercy women's basketball team sparked some attention after a dominating 97-73 win over Dickinson State (ND). 

The Mustangs were a dominating force on the court, with four Mustangs recording double-digit points, three of them being returners. Malie Marfil paved the way for the win with 24 points, shooting 8-11 and 6-8 at the free-throw line. Sadie Struchen also had an impressive game with 20 points after going 6-8 behind the arch and 7-10 overall. Madison Skelton (18) and Sam Keil (11) were the other Mustangs who finished the game in the double digits. 

For Dickinson State, they were led by Anhelica Shanrock, who went 7-13 for a total of 16 points. Kayden Steele added 14 Blue Hawk points after going 4-4 behind the free throw line on 5-9 shooting. Samantha Oase was a key defensive player for the Blue Hawks, with six rebounds and two blocks.

The Mustang offense played a huge role in the dominating win as the Mustangs had a 56.5 shooting percentage, going 35-62 overall and 13-21 at the free-throw line. The Blue Hawks' ability to shoot at the free throw line kept them in the game as they went 15-21 despite their team shooting 27-60 overall. The key difference between the two teams was their ability to shoot from beyond the three-point line, as the Mustangs would go 14-21 (66.7%) beyond the arch while Dickinson State went 4-20 (20.0%). 

The Mustangs are back on the court Saturday night as they face Bellevue (NE) starting at 5:00 PM CDT.