MOORHEAD, Minn. – MSU Moorhead outscored the Bemidji State University Women's Basketball team by 21 points combined in the first and third quarters to push the Dragons to the 69-46 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game Friday night.
MSU Moorhead (1-7, 1-2 NSIC) began the game holding the 18-8 lead after the first quarter and after Bemidji State (2-4, 0-3 NSIC) made a push in the second quarter, the Dragons pulled away with a 23-12 third quarter.
Sam Pogatchnik paced the Beavers with 11 points, with Tieryn Plasch adding eight points and Alyssa Hill with seven points. Alayna Suprenand and Ella Giorgi each chipped in six points.
MSU Moorhead scored the first seven points of the game and held the Beavers without a point until the 5:44 mark of the opening quarter when Pogatchnik hit a jumper. Despite three-pointers from Suprenand and Hill, the Dragons took the 18-8 lead into the second quarter.
Bemidji State then flipped the script in the second quarter. Combined with Hill's three to close the first quarter, the Beavers would score the first seven points of the second quarter for the 10-0 run. Hill, Amme Sheforgen and Erin Barrette all had baskets around a free throw by Pogatchnik to pull BSU to within three at 18-15.
A Suprenand three following a foul shot by the Dragons had the Beavers to within one at 19-18. Following two foul shots by Giorgi had the deficit back to one, MSU Moorhead closed the half on a 13-2 run to take the 34-22 halftime lead.
Another 13-2 run started the second half for the Dragons to push the lead to 47-24. Pogatchnik, Plasch and Sydney White had points down the stretch in the third quarter, but MSU Moorhead still held the 57-34 lead into the final frame.
Plasch drilled a couple of three-pointers in the fourth quarter, around baskets from Pogatchnik, Giorgi and Sage Ganyo to help BSU stay even in the final frame with each team scoring 12 points to provide the final margin of 69-46.
Bemidji State went 17-54 (31.5) from the field, 6-23 (26.1) from three and 6-14 (42.9) at the foul line. MSU Moorhead went 26-63 (41.3) from the field, 7-20 (35) from three and 10-15 (66.7) at the foul line.
The Beavers will now play at Northern State on Saturday night in Aberdeen starting at 6 p.m. The Wolves pulled out the 67-59 overtime win against St. Cloud State on Friday.
For more information on the Bemidji State Women's basketball program, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversWBB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversWBB).
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
