ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Midwestern St. (0-1) lost to No. 21 Western Washington (1-0) 59-48 on Friday at Nicholson Arena. The Mustangs forced 23 turnovers and scored 22 points off them, but shot 16 of 56 and were outrebounded 38-29.
The Mustangs were held off the scoreboard early as the Vikings scored the first 13 points, with Rachel Roderick, Libby Stump, Demi Dykstra, Joy Haltom and Annalee Coronado all contributing before the 5:52 mark.
Maiya Wesley put MSU on the board with a layup off a
Payten Conde assist at 4:55, but WWU answered with a Demi Dykstra free throw, a Dykstra layup and a Coronado layup to move back in front 18-2.
Calyssa Sevier added a steal and fastbreak layup for the Maroon & Gold with 54 seconds left, while Haltom hit another 3-pointer for the Vikings on the next scoring possession.
Peyton Stellato scored at the horn for the Mustangs, and WWU finished the first quarter ahead 21-6.
MSU got an early jumper from Stellato at 9:48, but the Vikings answered with two Demi Dykstra free throws and a Libby Stump layup to leave the Mustangs down 25-8 at 8:15 of the second quarter. The Maroon & Gold held WWU scoreless through the next stretch, forcing misses and turnovers, but managed only Stellato's 3-pointer at 3:54 during that span. The Vikings broke through when Olivia Loomis-Goltl hit a 3-pointer off an Annalee Coronado assist at 3:06, then added a Dykstra layup and free throw to move ahead 31-11 with 58 seconds left. Conde scored inside and added the free throw at :23, and MSU forced one more turnover before WWU took a 31-14 lead into halftime.
Bralyn Peck scored inside off a Conde assist at 9:24 to begin the third quarter, but Libby Stump answered with a jumper that put the Vikings ahead 33-16 at 8:46. The Mustangs held WWU scoreless until 3:43, forcing a series of turnovers with Stellato and Wesley recording steals, while Peck added a 3-pointer and another layup before Wesley's two free throws cut it to 33-23. Conde's layup at 3:52 made it 33-25, Stump ended WWU's drought on the next scoring play, and Sevier hit two free throws before Demi Dykstra's 3-pointer moved the Vikings ahead 38-27. Sevier added a layup and free throw at 1:57, but WWU scored the final five points of the quarter and led 43-30 entering the fourth.
The Mustangs began their fourth-quarter scoring with
Calyssa Sevier's free throw at 9:25, then used steals by
Victoria Barrera and Sevier around a Wesley 3-pointer and a Conde jumper to cut WWU's lead to 43-36 at 7:51. The Vikings scored through Libby Stump's layup and two Demi Dykstra free throws around
Bralyn Peck's layup, and after
Caelyn Williams and Conde split trips at the line, Dykstra's 3-pointers at 4:18 and 3:33 put WWU ahead 53-40. Williams added two free throws, Conde came up with another steal and Stellato made one at the line to bring MSU to 53-43 with 2:38 left. Rachel Roderick scored inside and Stump made two free throws for the Vikings, and although Williams turned an offensive rebound into a layup and free throw before Conde's jumper at 0:03, Dykstra's late jumper helped WWU close out a 59-48 win.
Conde finished with 10 points, five assists and six rebounds. Sevier recorded eight points, three steals and two assists without a turnover. Wesley tallied seven points and three steals. Peck added nine points and three rebounds.
Demi Dykstra scored 24 points, made three 3-pointers and added two blocks. Libby Stump finished with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, five rebounds and three assists. Rachel Roderick collected eight rebounds and added six points while making both field-goal attempts and both free throws.
Up next, the Mustangs travel to Ellensburg, Washington, to face (RV) Central Washington on Saturday, Oct. 31. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. at Nicholson Arena.
