FAYETTE, Iowa (Dorman Gym) (box score)- The Bemidji State University women’s basketball team bounced back from a six-point loss to the University of Mary last Saturday, by dropping Upper Iowa University, 67-52, in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday at the Dorman Gym.

Heidi Matzke (So., G, Red Lake Falls, Minn.) led the Beavers in scoring for the sixth time this season as she netted 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting and 3-of-7 from the three point line. Karlee Simonson (Sr., F, Rockford, Minn.) and Amy Lawson (Sr., PG, Spencer, Iowa) joined Matzke in double-digits. Simonson recorded 15 points and led the Beavers with seven rebounds while Lawson chipped in 12 points while dishing out a game-high nine assists. Lawson’s 12 point performance sets her just two points shy of becoming the 13th BSU player to net 1,000 points in a career.

Upper Iowa’s Britney Iredale netted 17 points on 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line while hauling in a game-high 10 rebounds for the lone double-double of the game. Chelsea Peterson chipped in 10 points to join Iredale in double-digit scoring while pulling in six rebounds.

The game went back and forth through the first eight minutes of the first half as their were nine lead changes between the two teams. A jumper by Stephanie Peterson (Sr., Bismarck, N.D.) at 11:58 of the half put the Beavers ahead at 14-13 and sparked a 15-to-7 run to close out the half and give the Beavers a nine point lead heading into the break, 29-20.

Bemidji State 41.7 percent from the field in the first half (10-24) and 62.5 percent from behind the arc netting five of its six three points in the first half. Upper Iowa shot just 30.8 percent in the half (8-26) and just 1-of-11 from the three point line (.091). Matzke and Melissa Roberts (Jr., F, Staples, Minn.) paced the Beavers combining for 16 of the Beavers 29 first half points as they each netted eight points apiece.

BSU came out in the second half and pushed its lead to 13 points (33-20) off a jumper by Lawson and a layup off a Peacock turnover by Matzke. The Peacocks did not fold as they continued to battle and cut the Beavers lead to seven points (41-34) off a jumper by Chelsea Peterson with 12:37 remaining in the game.

The Beavers pushed their lead to the largest of the game over the next 7:39 as they went on a 15-to-6 run and pushed their lead to sixteen points (56-40) with 4:58 left in the game. The Peacocks made one last run at a comeback as they went on a 8-0 run in just :48 seconds to close the gap to eight points (56-48) but that was as close as Upper Iowa got as the Beavers closed out the game on a 11-4 run to earn the 15 point victory.

The Beavers finished an efficient shooting night 24-of-51 (.471) from the floor, 6-of-16 from outside the three-point arc and 13-of-16 from the line (.813). UIU was 19-of-58 (.328) overall, hoisted 22 three pointers making three (.136) and was 11-of-13 (.846) from the stripe.

The win give BSU a 6-1 advantage in the all-time series as the team holds a 2-0 mark versus the Peacocks in NSIC play. The Beavers have won both meetings in Fayette, Iowa and have won the last four games versus the Peacocks.

Bemidji State wraps up its weekend tomorrow evening when the Beavers travel to Winona, Minn. to take on the Winona State Warriors in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) action. Tip off from McCown Gymnasium is set for 6:00 p.m.

Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minn., is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).