BEMIDJI, Minn. (BSU Gymnasium) - Bemidji State University senior guard Heidi Matzke (Red Lake Falls, Minn.) exploded out of the gates Tuesday evening to net nine of the Beavers’ first 12 points in a 66-53 non-conference win over Mayville State University at the BSU Gymnasium.

The senior took the game into her own hands early out scoring the Comets 9-7 during the first 4:47 gaining a lead the Beavers would not relinquish.

The Beavers jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead behind a three-pointer by Sydney Epema (Fr., G, Crookston, Minn.) followed by a jumper by Matzke. The senior guard scored the next seven points for BSU going 4-of-5 from the field, putting BSU in front 12-7 just under five minutes into the game. Shooting nearly 50 percent in the half (15-31), the Beavers lead continued to build as the shots consistently fell. BSU would go up by 12 (40-28) before the halftime horn sounded.

BSU didn’t slow out of the break as they netted eight of the first thirteen points of the half to build a 15-point lead (48-33).

Mayville State countered with a 9-0 run to reel BSU to within six (48-42) with over nine minutes to play, but Bemidji State held onto the lead, going up by 13 (59-46) before claiming the 66-53 victory.

Matzke paced the Beavers netting her third consecutive 20-plus point performance with 21 points on 9-of-15 attempts (.600). She also dished out a game-high four assists. Melissa Roberts (Sr., F, Staples, Minn.) tied a career-best with 12 points while grabbing four rebounds. Samantha Baldwin (Fr., PG, St. Thomas, N.D.) pitched in a career-high 10 points dishing out three assists while sophomore Colleen McKay (F, Barnum, Minn.) rounded out the top four Beaver scorers with nine points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Matzke’s 21-points gives her 1,034 points in her career while her four assists moves her into ninth on BSU’s all-time assist list as she passes Kris Demaris (1987-91) with 236 assists.

Ashleigh Trosen and Ali Sonstelie led the Comets with 16 and 10 points, respectively. Lindsay Sannes grabbed a team-high seven rebounds while Kelli Smart dished out a team-high four assists.

The Beavers shot a season-high 43.3 percent on the night hitting 26-of-60 shots including 5-of-17 effort from beyond the arc. The Beavers held Mayville State to under 30 percent shooing on the night as the Comets hit just 15-of-53 from the field (.283). BSU held an advantage on the glass for the second time this season (43-38) improving its record to 1-1 when out-rebounding their opponents.

With the win the Beavers extend its record versus the Comets to 24-5 all-time and are now on a three game winning streak over Mayville State. BSU also improves its record to 13-12 in home opening games since the 1982 season and are now a perfect 4-0 in home openers under the direction of head coach Mike Curfman.

The win evens BSU overall record to 2-2 through four games this season. The Beavers will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. to participate in the first ever NSIC HoopsFest on Nov. 29-30. BSU will play Upper Iowa University on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. from the Elmen Center to open the HoopsFest and then will wrap up the weekend with a battle versus Northern State University on Sunday, Nov. 30 at noon from the Sioux Falls Arena.

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

--beavers--