Storm edged by Coe in early season battle

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Playing without the services of All-American Stacey Schutjer, the Simpson women's basketball team fell to Coe 75-72 in the latest chapter of what has become one of the Iowa Conference's top rivalries.

Megan Hayes cut Simpson's final possession short when she stole the ball with six seconds left, preserving the three point edge and preventing a potential game-tying 3 in a battle of last year's conference co-champions.

Starting in place of the injured Schutjer, reining IIAC Athlete of the Week Kate Nielsen (Urbandale, Iowa) filled in admirably for the Storm (9-4, 2-2 Iowa Conference). Making her second start of the season, Nielsen posted her fifth double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, adding a career-high five blocks.

Ali Sokol (Urbandale, Iowa) added 11 points on 3 of 5 shooting from beyond the arc and Jamie Elbert (Indianola, Iowa) and Jess Fraser (Norwalk, Iowa) came off the bench to score 11 and 10, respectively.

Mary Halvorson scored a team-high 16 points and Megan Hayes added a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double for the Kohawks (10-3, 4-0). Hayes added six blocks.

Simpson led for most of the first half and took a 37-36 lead into the locker room at halftime. After Chelsie Rohrs (Grannville, Iowa) hit 1 of 2 at the free throw line to give Simpson a 40-38 lead, the Kohawks mounted a 12-0 run for a 50-40 lead with 13:04 left in the game.

The Coe lead peaked at 11 on a Hayes layup with 11:54 remaining before Simpson responded with an 18-7 run of its own. Fraser and Elbert each scored eight during the rally and Elbert capped it off with a game-tying 3-pointer, making the score 61-61 at the 7:29 mark.

Halvorsen broke a 68-68 tie on a layup with 1:38 remaining before Nielsen cut the lead to one by hitting 1 of 2 at the free throw line. Leslie Ware provided a dagger on the next possession, hitting a 3 for a 73-69 Coe lead. Kelsie Reeves (Des Moines, Iowa) responded with a 3 on the other end, but a layup by Hayes pushed the lead to 75-72 before she sealed it with her last-second steal.

The Storm return home Saturday when they host Dubuque in a 2 p.m. tipoff at Cowles Fieldhouse. Saturday is Simpson's Community Appreciation Day, as all attendees will receive free admission for the doubleheader.