Mustangs Show Dominance in Victory Over the Pride

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Mount Mercy women's basketball team delivered a commanding performance on the road, defeating the Clarke Pride 79-52 in a Heart of America Athletic Conference matchup at the Kehl Center.

Mount Mercy (10-5, 8-4) set the tone early, outscoring Clarke (8-6, 6-5) 22-13 in the first quarter, and maintained their dominance throughout the contest. The Mustangs' balanced attack and defensive intensity held the Pride to 33.9% shooting from the field and forced 19 turnovers.

Claudia Vanzant led the Mustangs with a double-double, tallying 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and pulling down 11 rebounds. Annika Headington added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Isabel Wallschlaeger provided a spark off the bench with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting.

Mount Mercy's efficient free-throw shooting was pivotal, as the team converted 75.0% of their attempts from the stripe, going 21-for-28. The Mustangs also dominated the glass, out-rebounding Clarke 42-34, including 10 offensive boards that translated into key second-chance points.

Clarke's Zoe Kennedy paced the Pride with 18 points and seven rebounds, but the home team struggled to find a rhythm against a dominant Mustang defense, shooting just 29.4% from beyond the arc. The Mustangs capitalized on these defensive stops, holding Clarke to single digits in the second quarter to lead 42-21 at halftime.

The Mustangs maintained their momentum in the second half, highlighted by a 60-37 advantage at the close of the third quarter. Mount Mercy's depth and efficiency sealed their eighth conference win of the season.

The Mustangs return to action on January 11 as they travel to face off against the Park Pirates in a conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 12:00 pm.